Ed Edd n Eddy: Oogie's Revenge
by AMX
Summary: The Stouthearted Eds are back for another adventure with the Pumpkin King himself, Jack Skellington! This time, Oogie's kidnapped the other holiday leaders so he can become the Seven Holidays King! Can the Stouthearted Eds and Jack stop him?
1. A New Stouthearted Adventure

**Author's Note**: My, this didn't take long, did it? Due to the success of _Ed Edd n Eddy's Nightmare Before Christmas_, I decided that it was only fair that I get the sequel up as soon as possible. And so, I give you the sequel; _Ed Edd n Eddy: Oogie's Revenge_.  
Just so all of you know, _The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge _is the direct-to-video _game _sequel to the original movie (it really is an entertaining game, I recommend it). Also, you should probably know that the game has been criticized due to the repetitive lyrics that accompany the songs in this game (which happen to be songs from the movie with lyric changes).  
With that in mind, I apologize in advance if the songs in this story seem repetitive.

And, of course, I have to mention that _Ed Edd n Eddy _and _The Nightmare Before Christmas: Oogie's Revenge _belong to their respected owners (but, of course, you already know that). So, without any further ado, happy reading! ;)-**AMX

* * *

**

December 23. 10:00 P.M. In the small town of Peach Creek, a young boy was heading off to bed. He had to get his beauty rest. The next few days were going to be big days. Thank goodness it was Christmas Vacation.

The young boy was named Eddy. He and his two friends, Ed and Edd (known by everyone as Double D) had just finished another day of messing around in the snow. As he made his way through his snazzy disco-theme room (complete with a record player and a mirror ball), his eyes stopped at his desk.

Sitting on his desk was one of his big brother's old maps. But it wasn't like his other maps, which usually led Eddy into trouble. This was a magical map. One that held a lot of value to Eddy. As he gazed at the map, Eddy began to remember what he had been doing at this time last year . . .

---

On Halloween night of last year, Eddy had found the old map in his attic. He, Double D, and Ed followed it until they had found a strange jack o' lantern door carved in a tree deep in the woods outside of Peach Creek. They had been pulled into another world; a world in which Halloween was created. And it was called Halloween Town.

In Halloween Town, the Stouthearted Eds, as they had begun to call themselves, met the ruler of Halloween, a very tall but kind skeleton named Jack Skellington (known by the townspeople as the Pumpkin King). However, Jack had become dissatisfied with doing the same old thing year after year, and he was depressed. He wanted something new.

And he got it. Well, sort of. Before the Stouthearted Eds knew it, they, along with Jack, discovered another new town, called Christmas Town. But Ed went missing in the town, and while Eddy and Double D were searching for him, they ended up meeting Jack face to face. Jack, who had never heard of any other Halloween, was immediately captivated and recruited Eddy and Double D to help him bring Christmas to Halloween Town (since they were "experts" on the subject).

When Eddy learned that Jack wanted to take over Christmas for himself, even though he really didn't understand it, he was against the idea (and the fact that Jack knew Eddy had been spying on him didn't help either). But when Eddy learned that Jack would also be making the presents, he pretended to go along with it so he could get his free present. But Double D and Sally, one of Jack's friends, knew that it definitely wasn't going to work.

Eddy and Double D finally reunited with Ed in the town hall. Ed had been off looking for a way to become one of Santa's elves, but he couldn't find it, so he ended up following three brats named Lock, Shock, and Barrel back to Halloween Town. Jack instructed Lock, Shock, and Barrel to bring Santa Claus (or "Sandy Claws," as Jack called him) to Halloween Town.

Ed, suspicious of the three kids, ended up following them and learning that they were planning to do terrible things to Santa, along with their boss; some guy named "Oogie Boogie." But luckily, Ed was able to stall the process by tricking Lock, Shock, and Barrel into taking the Easter Rabbit instead of Santa.

But unfortunately, the three brats got it right on the second time. Double D, Sally, and even Eddy tried one last time to talk Jack out of the plan, but Jack was too preoccupied to listen. And despite Jack's orders, Lock, Shock, and Barrel took Santa to Oogie Boogie, who kidnaped Santa along with Ed.

Sally finally resorted to creating a fog so Jack couldn't take off, but all this did was give Eddy an opportunity to sneak into Jack's sleigh without being seen. Thanks to Jack's dog, Zero, the sleigh did take off, with Eddy still inside!

Jack began putting his macabre presents inside every home in Peach Creek, and tricked Eddy into coming out of his hiding spot. Eddy was mad at first, but not for long. After Jack began a conversation about Eddy's map of Halloween Town, the two found out that Eddy's brother was actually one of Jack's old friends! As they rode through the sky, Eddy and Jack were just beginning to become friends . . . until military units shot down the "imposter that was mangling Christmas."

Jack and Eddy landed in the cemetery outside of town, and Jack, after a small pity-fest, finally saw the error of his ways. He and Eddy knew that they were the only ones who could set things right, so they headed back for Halloween Town.

But things weren't so good there, either. When Double D and Sally heard about the military units, they went to Oogie's hideout, in hopes of rescuing Santa and Ed. But Oogie caught them, and almost sent all for of them into a cauldron of molten lava!

Jack and Eddy got there just in time. And after a short showdown with the gambling sack of bugs, they sent Oogie barreling into his own lava. Now that everything was safe, Santa went off to fix the things Jack had messed up.

Jack, Sally, and the Eds went back to Halloween Town, where they were greeted by the overjoyed townspeople. Santa brought snow to the town, and the Eds even got jawbreakers (though Eddy gave his to Jack). Then, as the Eds were leaving, they saw Jack and Sally reveal their true feelings for each other at the top of Spiral Hill.

When Eddy got home, he was swamped with over a month's worth of undone homework. But for some reason (probably because compared to what he had just gone through, homework was nothing), Eddy felt like doing it. And he actually got it all done!

Thankfully, it was easy creating an excuse for Eddy's parents. They had jobs that caused them to leave before Eddy woke up in the morning, and come home in the late evening, when Eddy was already in bed. Sure, they were never home, but they had just assumed that Eddy had just done his daily routine. Enough said.

---

As the memories drifted through Eddy's head, he switched off his overhead light and turned on his lava lamp. He laid down and buried himself under the covers. His eyelids began to flutter shut. But just as he was about to fall asleep . . .

"HURRY, JACK!"

Eddy shot up. His eyes must have been as wide as dinner plates. He looked around his dimly lit room. There was nobody there.

So then . . . why did he just hear a woman's voice just now?

And even weirder, it sounded very familiar.

Sal-

_RING!_

Eddy's phone ringing jarred him from his thoughts. He quickly picked it up and answered it.

"Hello?" he asked cautiously.

"Eddy?" Eddy relaxed when he heard Double D's voice on the other end. "Eddy, you're going to think I'm crazy, but I just heard . . . "

"Hello? Hello?"

"Ed?" asked Eddy.

"Who's there?" asked Ed.

"As I was saying . . . " said Double D. "I was about to go to sleep, and I heard _Sally's _voice, Eddy! But when I sat up, there was no one there!"

"Miss Sally was in your room too, Double D?" asked Ed.

"You guys heard it too, then?" asked Eddy.

"This is quite queer, gentlemen," said Double D. "Why would we all hear Sally's voice here, now? Shouldn't she be back in Halloween Town?"

"Yeah, she should," said Eddy. "What did she say?"

"'Hurry, Jack!'" said Ed, imitating Sally's voice.

"That's what I heard her say, too," said Double D. "Do you think something happened to Jack?"

Eddy began to ponder this. Then he gazed at the map on his desk. "Boys, get some costumes on and meet me at the entrance to the woods," he said. "We're gonna take an unscheduled field trip."


	2. Meeting in the Woods

Eddy was trying to be patient as he waited at the entrance to the woods. Before he had left his house, he had made a vampire costume for himself out of one of his dad's shirts, an old cape, some dress pants, and some plastic fangs. Eddy shifted. He looked down at the bag of Halloween candy he had brought with him. Where were they? How long had it been, like, three minutes?

Just then, Double D ran up. He seemed to resort to drastic measures in terms of his costume as well. He seemed to have simply wrapped his whole body up in first aid bandages. At least he looked like a decent mummy.

"Oh dear, am I late?" asked Double D.

"Yes," said Eddy. "Where have you been the past three minutes?"

Double D sighed. "Remind me why we're doing this again?" he asked.

"We're just gonna see how things are doing in Halloween Town, that's all," said Eddy. "You know, see if Jack's okay."

"Sure," said Double D. "And why do you have the bag of candy you got on Halloween?"

Eddy looked down at the bag. "It's for if I get hungry," he said simply.

"Oh, please," said Double D. "Halloween Town's . . . what, a fifteen-minute walk? Moreover, that candy's probably not very filling. Your stomach's still going to be empty, no matter how much you eat!"

"Whatever," said Eddy. "Hey, speaking of empty, where the heck is Ed?"

"Maybe he already went in," said Double D.

"_What?_" said Eddy. "But I said . . . "

"Yes, you _said_," said Double D. "But when does Ed usually listen to you?"

Eddy groaned. As much as he hated to admit it, Double D was right. Not much logic got to Ed's tiny brain. He reached in his pocket and got the magic map.

"Here," he said, handing the map to Double D. "You know I can't read it."

"Of course," said Double D. "Don't worry, Eddy. I'm sure we'll find Ed."

"Yeah?" asked Eddy. "I guess, if he doesn't try to sneak off to Christmas Town to try and become an elf again."

---

And so Double D and Eddy ventured into the woods, following the magic map once again. Only this time, they knew exactly where they were going, but they were short one Stouthearted Ed.

"Man, I swear, if Ed causes any trouble by himself . . . " Eddy grumbled.

"Oh, come on Eddy," said Double D. "I admit, Ed's behavior is somewhat . . . _questionable_, but seriously, how much trouble could he cause?"

"Just think about it for a minute," said Eddy.

So Double D thought. Then his eyes widened. "I guess you're right," he said. "Let's hope we find him soon."

At that point, the jack o' lantern door was in sight. And Eddy was seeing something else. There, at the base of the door, was Ed. And he was wearing his old monster costume. The same one he used to terrorize the town that one time.

"Hey, Monobrow!" called Eddy.

But they were too far away for Ed to hear them. As Eddy and Double D ran to their friend, calling out his name, Ed simply opened the door and jumped in.

Double D ran up to the now open door, panting heavily.

"Wow, Double D," said Eddy. "You oughta try out for cross-country, you're so good at running."

Double D ignored that comment. "Ed!" he called through the open door. "Get up here and close this door!"

"Yeah, like that's gonna work," said Eddy. "Let's just go, so we can catch him!"

"Right!" said Double D.

Then Eddy ran up, still holding his bag of candy, and dove head first into the door. Double D cautiously looked down into the darkness, closed his eyes, and jumped in next. The jack o' lantern door closed behind them.

---

Eddy landed on solid ground first. He grunted as Double D fell on top of him. They were now in the woods outside of Halloween Town, known as the Hinterlands. Behind him was another door, this one shaped like one of the houses from Peach Creek.

Eddy pushed Double D off of him, thankful that his candy bag hadn't broken, and looked around. Then he groaned again. There was no sign of Ed.

"Ed, you idiot!" Eddy said out loud. "Why didn't you wait for us?"

"Oh, dear," said Double D, getting up. "Did you see what he had on? Oh, I do hope we don't have a repeat of what happened the last time Ed wore that thing."

"What are you talking about?" asked Eddy. "That was hilarious!"

"Oh . . . " grumbled Double D. Eddy was so _stubborn _sometimes! "Can we just move on so we can get back home?"

"Fine," said Eddy.

---

Eddy and Double D walked through the woods in silence. And as they walked, they began to notice something different about the woods. It seemed a lot more . . . _bare _than the last time they were here. Had some trees been cut down? And even worse, all the trees looked the same, so Double D had to concentrate very hard to keep his coordinates straight. And even then, they _still _felt lost. Then, after a while of walking, just when Eddy and Double D began to feel that they knew where they were . . .

"ARR!"

The sudden shriek was inches away from Double D's back. Of course, Double D, being as fragile as he was, jumped into the air, slamming into Eddy, knocking him down and making him drop his bag. Eddy's candy spilled out all over the ground.

"My candy . . . " Eddy groaned.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Eddy! Did I make you do that?"

Eddy and Double turned around. They knew who it was behind them.

"Hi Jack," the two boys said together.

Sure enough, there, standing behind Eddy and Double D, was Jack Skellington himself. He had his usual black and white pinstripe suit on, and he had a big bag slung over his back.

"Hello, boys," said Jack. "Fancy meeting you two here. I almost didn't recognize you. You have different costumes on." Then he noticed that there was someone missing. "Hey, where's Ed?"

"We were just about to ask you the same thing," said Eddy, who began to crawl around and pick up his candy.

"Ed got away from us again, Jack," said Double D. "You haven't seen him, have you? He's dressed in a big, gray monster costume."

Jack thought for a minute. "No, sorry," he said. "But what brings you two to Halloween Town at this time of year?"

"We just thought we'd check up on you guys, see how everyone's doing," said Eddy.

"Jack, what's in the bag?" asked Double D.

Jack looked at the bag slung over his shoulder. "What, this?" asked Jack. "Well, you see, I've been out searching for new discoveries for next Halloween. I wanted something new. I do hope the townspeople haven't missed me too much."

"So, you haven't even been in Halloween Town?" asked Double D.

"Not since Halloween, no," said Jack.

"That was two months ago!" said Double D.

"New discoveries, huh?" asked Eddy. "I hope you weren't looking for them in Christmas Town . . . " he said suspiciously.

"Oh, no," said Jack. "You don't have to worry about that, boys. I've learned my lesson. No more taking over other holidays."

"Good," said Double D. "I'm glad to hear that."

"Hey, did you find that weird bracelet while traveling?" asked Eddy, pointing to Jack's wrist.

Jack looked at the bright green bracelet wrapped around his right wrist. "Oh, no," he said. "You see, the doctor made this for me. He calls it the "Soul Robber." It's quite amazing. Just watch."

Jack put his sack down and aimed for a nearby fallen branch. He flicked his wrist. Suddenly, the Soul Robber shot out and grabbed the branch, pulling it to Jack.

"No way . . . " said Eddy as he stood up. He had just finished picking up his candy.

"Oh my . . . " said Double D. Then a big grin appeared on his face. "What a discovery! I'm speechless! I mean, this is an absolute coup! The control over its projectile! Why . . . "

Eddy wrapped his arm around his friend. "I thought you were speechless," he said. "But anyway, that thing's cool, Jack. I bet Ed would flip if he saw that!"

"Which reminds me . . . he's still missing . . . again," said Double D.

"Well, who knows?" asked Jack. "Maybe he's already in Halloween Town."

"Let's hope so," said Double D. "Oh, I hope he's not causing any trouble for the townspeople."

And so, Jack, along with Double D and Eddy, ventured onto Halloween Town.

But little did they know, all was not well.


	3. Jack's Return

Before long, Jack, Double D, and Eddy made it to the gate that led into Halloween Town. But as they entered, all three of them immediately sensed that something was wrong.

"That's strange," said Jack. "The town's deserted . . . "

"Hey, it's a ghost town!" joked Eddy.

"And apparently not the good kind . . . " said Double D.

There was nobody on the streets at all. The only sound they could hear was the water running through the fountain at the center of town. Jack, Double D, and Eddy took a few steps forward, then . . .

CLANG!

They turned back around. The gate leading out of Halloween Town had slammed down, preventing anyone from leaving.

"What the?" asked Eddy.

Then, the three heard a soft growl behind them. They turned around. There, standing in front of them, was a group of skeletons. But they certainly didn't look like Jack.

"Oh!" said Jack, stepping forward. "I don't believe we've met. I'm Jack. Jack Skell . . . "

But before Jack could finish, one of the skeletons lashed out to try and claw the Pumpkin King. Jack jumped back just in time. Eddy and Double D stared wide-eyed.

Jack whipped out the Soul Robber. "You . . . you're not from Halloween Town, are you?" he asked the skeletons.

"Now what?" asked Double D.

"Just stand back, boys," said Jack. "I'll take care of this."

The Soul Robber whipped out and grabbed one of the skeletons. Jack flicked his arm so he sent the skeleton he had a grip on slamming into the others. The skeletons seemed dangerous, but they were fragile. They immediately broke upon contact with the Soul Robber.

When all the skeletons were gone, Jack retracted the Soul Robber, panting lightly.

"What on earth was that all about?" asked Double D.

MAAAAAOWWWW!

Just then, a very loud siren began to ring out throughout the town.

"Whoa!" said Eddy, covering his ears. "Who's stepping on the cat?"

Then, another sound could be heard. It sounded like . . . microphone feedback.

"_Testing . . . testing! Is this thing on?"_

Jack, Double D, and Eddy froze in place at this new voice. They definitely knew where they had heard _that _voice before.

"_My dearly abhorred citizens of Halloween Town, this is Oogie Boogie speaking! Today, I bring you a joyous announcement! First of all, in place of Jack Skellington, yours truly is now the new ruler of Halloween Town! Second, today, at this very hour, at this exact moment, I hereby declare that this town's name will be changed to . . . Oogie Town! Ba ha ha ha ha!"_

Jack, Eddy, and Double D just stood there and listened as Oogie talked. But what was Oogie even doing here? Hadn't Eddy and Jack finished him off last year? Why were they hearing his voice now?

It wasn't until they knew that Oogie was done talking that Eddy decided to speak. "Well, that was a rip-off," he said. "He didn't even tell us the _joyous _announcement."

Jack looked worriedly across the town. "What happened while I was away?"

Just then, another sound was heard. It came from the direction of the town hall.

"Someone's inside!" exclaimed Double D.

The three ran over to the entrance to the town hall. But Eddy was so focused on the situation at hand, he didn't notice that during the scuffle with the skeletons, he had dropped something . . .

As the three ran over, someone else appeared at the entrance. But his back was turned to them, so Eddy and Double D couldn't see who it was. Jack walked up to the new person. "Hey, what . . . "

"I'm not making any more traps!" said the new person, turning around to face the confused three. When he turned around, Eddy and Double D identified him as Mr. Hyde. "Oh, Jack!" said Mr. Hyde when he saw them. "It's you! And Double D and Eddy, too!"

"What exactly happened while I was away?" asked Jack.

"Lock, Shock, and Barrel sewed Oogie back together," explained Mr. Hyde. Then, his hat popped up, and the medium Mr. Hyde appeared. "Bugs, bags, and all," said the medium Mr. Hyde. "Oogie is back!" said the littlest Mr. Hyde, appearing from the medium Mr. Hyde's hat.

"_What?_" Double D asked in disbelief.

"You've gotta be kidding me!" exclaimed Double D.

"Dr. Finkelstein proposed the ideas for next Halloween," the largest Mr. Hydecontinued. "He said you wanted a "dangerous Halloween," so we set up booby traps all over town. He said that if we didn't, you might never come back."

"Do you think hurting people with skeletons and ghosts is my idea of a good Halloween?" asked Jack.

"Apparently not," said Eddy.

"We just wanted you to come back," said Mr. Hyde. "But then the ghosts and skeletons began to appear, and soon it wasn't even safe to be on the streets anymore!"

"This is a disaster!" said Jack. "I've got to find the doctor!"

"And we've got to find Ed!" said Eddy.

"Oh, who knows what will happen if Ed runs into those things," said Double D. "He has no means of defending himself!"

"Ed?" asked Mr. Hyde. "I haven't seen him. But I _did _see a big, gray monster entering the town hall a few minutes ago . . . "

"That's Ed!" Double D and Eddy said together.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" asked Jack. "Let's go in and get him!"

"My thoughts exactly!" said Double D.

"Be careful though," said Mr. Hyde. "Those nasty ghosts were seen in there, as well."

"I'm sure we can handle it," said Eddy.

Then the three cautiously walked into the town hall.

---

The inside of the town hall was completely trashed. Chairs were turned over, curtains were tattered, windows were broken. But Eddy and Double D's faces lit up when they saw who was sitting up on stage.

There was no question about it. That was Ed sitting up on the stage. But for some reason, his back was turned to them.

"Ed!" said Double D. "Thank goodness!"

"What the heck are you doing here, Lumpy?" asked Eddy. "Didn't you hear us calling you back there?"

The two boysbegan to walk toward their friend, but as they were, Jack noticed something . . . different.

"Wait!" Jack suddenly said.

Double D and Eddy stopped. "What?" asked Eddy. Then they saw what Jack meant.

As Ed began to stand up, they noticed that something was wrong. Was Ed's costume glowing . . . black? They got an even bigger surprise when Ed turned around to face them.

Ed's eyes were glowing yellow! This wasn't Ed! But it had to be! That was _Ed's _costume on stage. That had to be Ed! What was going on? Then, Ed's-or rather, the monster's-mouth opened to speak, and the voice that came out wasn't exactly the happy-go-lucky voice of the third Stouthearted Ed.

"JAAAA-AAAAACK!"

Eddy and Double D's eyes widened. Even Jack looked shocked. Why was Oogie's voice coming out of Ed's mouth?

"Oh my," said Double D. "This is serious, fellows! Oogie's taken over Ed's body!"

"How?" asked Jack.

"Well, I'm guessing it wasn't too hard . . . " said Eddy.

"We have no choice, gentlemen!" said Double D. "For Ed's sake, we'll have to knock Oogie out of him!"

"What?" asked Jack. "But what if we hurt him?"

"Oh, that's not going to be a problem," said Eddy.

So, Jack readied his Soul Robber and aimed it at Ed. . .er, Oogie. But as they began to fight, Oogie's voice began to sing!

Oogie Boogie:**_ Well, well, well!  
Jack, the Pumpkin King!  
And the Ed boys, huh?  
Oh, I've been waiting!  
So how do you like  
My Oogie-Town?  
Ha, ha, ha, ha! _**

Jack: **_It's over! It's over!  
This time you've gone too far!  
It's over, I'm serious!  
Just who do you think you are? _**

**_Just because you've fooled the town  
Doesn't make you king!  
You'd better give up, surrender now!  
We're fixin' everything! _**

Oogie Boogie: **_That's what you think, ha!_**  
**_But you couldn't be more wrong!  
And this will be the last time  
You hear the Boogie song! _**

**_Whoa-oh! _**

Ghosts: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Ghosts: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Ghosts: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_I'm the Oogie Boogie Man!_**

---

"Oogie, what have you done to everyone?" Jack asked as he jumped around the room, dodging Oogie and the ghosts' attacks, while still hitting Ed's body with the Soul Robber.

"They're all under my control!" laughed Oogie.

Eddy and Double D were still standing near the main doors, since they had nothing to hit Oogie with. But that didn't mean they couldn't sing their complaints!

---

Edd: **_We see you're pretty proud of  
All your booby-trapping schemes . . . _**

Eddy: **_But we can say you'll rule this town  
Only in your dreams! _**

Oogie Boogie:**_ Heh, that's funny boys, it was a dream!  
But now it's coming true!  
'Cause even my mere shadow knows  
Jack's days as king are through!_**

**_Whoa-oh!_**

Jack: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Edd, Eddy: **_Whoa-oh!  
_**  
Oogie Boogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Jack, Edd, Eddy: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Jack: **_I'm the Pumpkin King!_**

BOOM!

With one last hit from the Soul Robber, Ed's body suddenly went rigid. Then he (or was it Oogie?) seemed to be yelling out in pain. Eddy and Double D watched in stunned horror as a giant shadow version of Oogie exited Ed's body. As for Ed himself, he collapsed on the ground, his monster head falling off in the process. To Eddy and Double D's relief, Ed only seemed to be asleep.

The shadow Oogie began to melt into the ground. "Beginner's luck, if you ask me," he said as he melted. "Don't worry. We'll meet again . . . " Then it completely disappeared into the floor.

Jack, Eddy, and Double D ran up to their sleeping friend. Surprisingly, he didn't seem to be aware that Jack had even hit him. He just laid there, snoring.

"Ed looks quite content, despite being possessed and attacked," said Double D.

"Yeah, like one of the shot-down monsters from his movies," said Eddy. He climbed onto his friend's chest and grabbed him by the collar. "He looks so natural," he said to Jack and Double D. "Ed, oh Ed. . ." he said in a sweet voice. Then he shook his friend. "WAKE UP, SLEEPING BEAUTY!"

Ed's eyes popped open. He looked around the town hall, then at Double D and Eddy. He smiled. "Hi, guys!" he said. "You made it!"

"Yeah, just barely," said Eddy. "I told you to wait at the _entrance _of the woods, Ed!"

"Ed, are you aware that you were possessed by Oogie?" Double D asked, handing Ed his monster head. "And that the entire town has been deserted within a five-block radius of the town hall?"

"Not only that," said Ed, "but I feel as though I was possessed by Oogie and that the entire town has been deserted within a five-block radius of the town hall." Then Ed spotted the Pumpkin King standing there. "Hi, Jack!" he said, waving to him. "Cool bracelet."

"Ed, are you saying you don't remember anything that happened?" asked Double D.

"Um, hang on . . . " said Ed. "I remember coming into Halloween Townbut there was nobody there. I came into the big building behind the fountain to see if the two-faced Mayor guy was here, but then I suddenly fell asleep."

"That must have been when he was possessed!" said Jack.

"The Mayor wasn't here, Ed?" asked Double D.

"No," said Ed. "But I found a wooden pumpkin!"

"What?" asked Eddy. "Ed, there's no such thing as a wooden pumpkin!"

"Is too!" said Ed. "See?" Then he turned around and picked something up.

"OH!" Jack said when he saw what Ed was holding.

Ed held up a flat jack o' lantern carving for Jack, Eddy, and Double D to see. "See?" he asked again. "I found it up here just before I fell asleep."

"That's the Halloween Holiday Door!" exclaimed Jack. "Now, what in the world is _that_ doing here?"


	4. Stouthearted Weapons

"Man, I'm confused," said Eddy as the group exited the town hall. "What exactly is going on?"

"Well, the most obvious thing is that it's very, very bad," said Double D.

Jack looked over at his house. "Well, it doesn't look like they touched my house," he said. "We might as well go there so we can straighten all this out."

"If you say so. . ." said Eddy. He then decided to have some more candy. But when he reached for the bag in his pocket, he didn't feel anything. Confused, Eddy began to pat his pockets, but he didn't feel anything. "Where'd my candy go?" he frantically asked.

"You must have dropped it back at that fight with the skeletons," concluded Double D.

"Oh no!" said Eddy. He ran over near the fountain and began to crawl around on the ground, searching for his bag. "I worked hard for that candy! Where'd it go?"

"Oh, _sure_, Eddy," said Double D.

"Here ya go, Eddy!" said Ed.

Eddy looked at Ed. But what he was holding wasn't exactly what Eddy had in mind. "That's _Jack's_ bag, stupid!" he said. "Hey, why didn't they take Jack's stuff? Why does everyone have to mess with _me?_"

"Oh, _come now_, Eddy," said Double D. "Ed, you might as well put the Halloween Holiday Door in there. We're going to need it."

"Can do, Double D!" said Ed. He took the Halloween Holiday Door he had been holding and stuck it in the bag. Then he slung the bag over his back.

"Hey, what's this?" asked Jack.

Ed and Double D looked over at the Pumpkin King. He was going to unlock his gate, when he had noticed a letter stuck to the gate.

Ed walked over and took the letter off. "Read to me what is on the pretty envelope, Double D," he said, handing the letter to Double D.

"Forget the stupid letter!" said Eddy, who had gone back to searching. "Help me find my stupid candy bag!"

Double D opened the letter and began to read aloud. "_Dear Jack,_" he read. "_Soon after you left, I held an assembly, and we began preparations for the most horrible Halloween yet! Chances are, once you return, you'll be greeted by the most terrifying and horrific Halloween this town has seen! Don't worry about a thing, Jack. Next year's Halloween is sure to not disappoint you. November 15, The Mayor._" Double D stared at the Mayor's handwriting. "Well Jack, it sure seems like the townspeople were doing their very best to please you."

"I know," said Jack. "That's why I'm beginning to feel bad about leaving . . . "

"Well, my candy's gone," said Eddy, finally walking over. "Man, when I catch the sucker who took it . . . "

"Can we worry about that later, Eddy?" asked Double D. "We need to figure this out."

"Right," said Jack. "Follow me, boys."

---

Ed was the first one into Jack's room on the top floor. It was safe to say that he was excited to actually be in the Pumpkin King's house. He excitedly looked around at all the cool stuff.

"Jack, you gotta love your room," said Eddy, who had already been in Jack's house once before.

Double D, on the other hand, was appalled at how horribly _cluttered _the room was. "Messy, messy, messy . . . " he muttered.

"I know," Jack said sheepishly. "I'm a pack rat. I admit it." He made his way through the mess and sat down in his rocking chair. "So, let's review. What do we know so far?"

"Well, we know that Oogie is back," said Eddy.

"And we know that the town's been overrun by his lackeys," said Double D.

"Jack, your room is so cool!" Ed awed as he proceeded to touch everything within his grasp.

"Uh . . . thank you, Ed," said Jack.

"Ed, don't touch!" said Double D.

"Oh, it's all right," said Jack. "You boys can make yourselves at home. Just ignore the mess."

"Sweet!" said Eddy, sitting down in a nearby recliner.

Jack looked expectantly at Double D, who had not moved from his spot.

"I'll stand," Double D said shyly.

"Okay," said Jack. "And what _don't _we know?"

"Well, I don't know where my candy is . . . " Eddy began.

"Besides that!" said Double D.

"Oh," said Eddy. "We also don't know what the Halloween Holiday Door was doing in the town hall, if that's where Ed really found it."

"Sure did, chief!" said Ed.

"Quite a mystery, indeed . . . " said Jack.

"Well, it doesn't seem to matter," said Double D. "As long as those monsters are around, we don't have much of a chance. I mean, Eddy, Ed, and I have no means of defending ourselves! And that's a problem."

Jack suddenly sat up. "Maybe not . . . " he said. He stood up and began rummaging through his clutter. "You boys are in luck," he said as he searched. "Somewhere in this mess are some old Christmas presents from last year I made. Perhaps they could be of use to us."

"No fooling?" asked Eddy.

"That _is _lucky!" said Ed.

"Yeah," said Jack. "Just start rooting around, boys. They're in this mess somewhere."

Eddy decided to start by searching between the cushions of the recliner. When he pulled his hand back out, a black object rested in it.

"Hey, a yo-yo!" said Eddy, getting up. "I'm a whiz at these things. Wanna see me walk the dog?" Eddy got the yo-yo ready and let it drop. But then he got a surprise. When the yo-yo hit the ground, spikes popped out of it! "WHOA!" Eddy jumped, causing the yo-yo to collapse. The spikes popped back into the yo-yo.

"Oh, Eddy!" said Jack. "You found one of the toys! I call that one the Yo-Yo Mace."

"Yeah?" asked Eddy. "Well, I'd prefer to have a toy that won't turn my hand into a pincushion!"

"Oh, it won't hurt you," said Jack. "The spikes pop out when the yo-yo comes in contact with another solid object, but not your hand! Genius, huh?"

"If you say so," said Eddy, winding the Yo-Yo Mace up and starting it again.

"I don't know, Jack," said Double D as he sorted through the mess. "I question the structural integrity of that thing . . . oh, what's this?" Double D pulled a gray rattle out of the mess.

"Oh, I bet I know what that does!" said Ed. "It turns you into a pirate!"

Double D looked at the rattle. "I guess that's one way to interpret the skull and crossbones . . . " he said, looking at the design. He gently shook the rattle. His face went pale when a ring of spikes popped out of it.

"There's another one," said Jack.

"And what's this one called?" Double D asked while his free hand clutched his chest.

"The Death Rattle," said Jack.

Double D rolled his eyes when he realized the pun. "'Death Rattle' . . . " he mumbled. "Right-o. And you were seriously going to give this to a kid?" he asked Jack on a more serious note. "Have you no moral fiber?"

"I found a bone!" Ed said suddenly. The other two Stouthearted Eds turned to look. Ed had taken his monster head off, and was wearing a helmet on his head that looked like it had been carved out of bone. "Cool, huh?"

"Wow, you guys are good at this," said Jack. "That's the last toy. It's called the Bony Helmet."

"Ooh, how creative," Eddy said sarcastically.

"The Yo-Yo Mace, the Death Rattle, and the Bony Helmet," said Double D. "You seriously think these things will withstand those monsters, Jack?"

"Those monsters aren'tthat tough," said Jack. "I mean, you saw how they crumbled when I hit them with my Soul Robber. I guarantee the success of those toys."

"Isn't that great?" asked Eddy. "We finally have means of defending ourselves, and they're toys."

"It's better than nothing, isn't it?" Jack asked as Ed put his monster head back on.

"Hey, anything that will get my candy back works for me, pal," said Eddy.

"Well, now that we're prepared, I say we start searching the town for extra clues," said Double D.

"My thoughts exactly," said Jack. He started toward the stairs. "Let's go, boys. We're gonna get to the bottom of this. I'm sure of it."


	5. The Witching Hour

Double D was nervously trembling as he, Eddy, Ed, and Jack went back outside. And since the spikes on his Death Rattle popped out whenever he shook it, this made him even more nervous.

Eddy looked at his friend. "Will you relax?" he asked Double D as Jack closed his gate. "See? There's nobody here."

It was true. There weren't any skeletons in the streets for the time being. Double D finally calmed down long enough to stop trembling.

"Except for that little kid," said Ed, pointing at the fountain.

And Ed was right. Standing next to the fountain was a little boy with gray, clammy-looking skin. The weirdest thing was that his eyes appeared to be stitched shut.

"It's Corpse Kid!" exclaimed Jack, running over to the boy.

"_Corpse_?" asked Double D.

"Will you just come on?" asked Eddy.

"CORPSE KID!" yelled Ed. "MUST TOUCH!"

Corpse Kid's face lit up when he saw(?) Jack running toward him. "Jack!" he said. "You came back!"

"Geez, these people aren't used to having you gone, huh?" asked Eddy.

"Good timing, too," said Corpse Kid. "I think the Witch Shop has just opened for the first time since you left." Corpse Kid shivered. "Terrible things happened while you were gone, Jack . . . terrible things."

"Yeah, we kinda figured that out when we first heard Oogie's voice after somebody stepped on that cat," said Eddy.

"The Witch Shop?" asked Double D.

"Maybe the Witches can give us a lead," said Jack. "Come on!"

Double D and Eddy began to follow Jack, but they stopped when they realized that Ed was still with Corpse Kid.

"Does it hurt to have your eyes stitched shut like that?" Ed was asking Corpse Kid.

"ED!" Eddy and Double D called together.

"Oh?" That got Ed's attention. He ran to catch up with the others. "Am I 'it'?" he asked as he ran.

"So, the Witches have their own shop?" Double D asked Jack.

"Oh, yes," said Jack. "It's the most successful business in town."

"Yeah, I bet," said Eddy as the four entered the shop.

The Witches seemed to be waiting for them.

"Jack!" exclaimed the shorter Witch. "You've returned!"

"Is it true?" asked Jack. "The whole town is booby-trapped?"

"Oh . . . " said the taller Witch. "It's too embarrassing to talk about. We brought this all upon ourselves . . . say, care to buy anything?" she quickly added. "We've got some prime heads and torsos, but they'll cost you an arm and a leg."

"Wow, get straight to the point, why don't you?" asked Eddy.

"You don't mean that "arm and a leg" thing literally, do you?" Double D asked nervously.

"You gotta question everything, don't you Sockhead?" asked Eddy.

Jack had his attention turned toward the Witches. "You two wouldn't happen to know where exactly the skeletons are coming from, would you?"

"No. Sorry," said the shorter Witch. "We haven't been out of the house since they began appearing."

"You might want to try the Graveyard for starters," said the Taller Witch. "I hear that there's a nasty infestation around those parts."

"It's a start, I suppose," said Jack. "Come on, boys."

---

"So, which way is the Graveyard?" asked Double D as they exited the shop.

"Outside the Main Gate," said Jack.

"Isn't that the same gate that shut behind us before?" asked Eddy.

Jack's eyes widened. "Yes," he mumbled.

"Then it's probably still shut tight," said Double D.

"Yep," said Ed. "It's snug as a bug on a rug by a jug near a slug with a. . ."

"How would you know, Monobrow?" asked Eddy. "You weren't even there."

At this point, the four were standing right in front of the gate.

"There must be some way to open it," said Double D.

"I think Clown has the key," Corpse Kid said behind them.

Jack turned around. "Clown has the key?" he repeated. "Where is he?"

"I don't know," said Corpse Kid.

"Oh!" Ed suddenly exclaimed. He ran over to a nearby manhole cover. "Fe fi fo fum, I smell cheese and onion buns," he said, pointing to the cover.

"What?" asked Jack.

"Just ignore it, and he'll stop," said Eddy. "Ed, you're saying Clown's down there?"

"In a _sewer_?" asked Double D.

"Well, that's certainly a good hiding spot," said Jack. "But we need Clown to open the gate. We have to go down there."

"Oh, so unsanitary . . . " Double D mumbled as Jack took the cover off and climbed down.

"Is it my turn to jump down, Double D?" Ed asked as Eddy climbed down after Jack.

"Uh . . . let me go down first, Ed," said Double D. He carefully began to climb down as well.

Ed stared for a minute, then . . . "Follow the leader!" he yelled, jumping in without even using the ladder.

---

Double D stepped off the ladder just in time, because just as he got off, Ed fell through.

"So where's Clown?" asked Eddy.

Jack looked around and could just make out Clown in the darker side of the sewer. "Hey, Clown!" he called, beginning to run over.

Suddenly, Clown let out a yelp, then wheeled his unicycle deeper into the darkness.

"What?" Jack asked as he stopped running.

Just then, the same skeletons that had attacked before popped up out of the ground.

"Not here, too!" moaned Double D.

"Big deal," said Eddy. "We have weapons now, remember?" He readied his Yo-Yo Mace.

"Ha ha!" said Ed, bending over. "I like to smash stuff!"

"Oh dear . . . " said Double D, taking out his Death Rattle. "Physical activity . . . "

"Get ready," said Jack. "It might take some time to get used to the weapons, so you should probably . . . "

"ATTACK THE SKELETONS!" Ed suddenly yelled, charging into the army. "SKELETONS AWAY!"

"Works for me!" said Eddy. He got ready to whip the Yo-Yo Mace out . . . when it suddenly whipped out by itself! Eddy watched as it flew across the room, around a group of skeletons, the tightened, squeezing the skeletons into dust. The spikes on the Yo-Yo Mace retracted as it returned to Eddy's hand. "It can track things?" Eddy asked. "SWEET!"

Double D was suddenly surrounded, and resorted to covering his eyes with his free arm and spinning in a circle while shaking the rattle. When he opened his eyes again, there was nothing around him but a pile of dust. He smiled. Maybe he _could _use this thing.

Ed, meanwhile, was having a ball. He probably didn't even need the Bony Helmet. He was simply running around the room, slamming into the skeletons head-on. "OUT OF THE WAY, CITIZEN!" he yelled as he ran past Jack, who was smacking enemies with his Soul Robber.

"What'd he call me?" Jack asked Eddy, pointing at Ed.

"Ah, it's just something from one of his movies," said Eddy. "Like I said before, ignore it."

Soon, the room was empty again, and Clown reappeared.

"Skeletons have been terminated, Eddy," Ed panted.

"Jack!" said Clown. "You're back?"

"You can calm down now," said Jack. "Everything's okay."

"I'm glad you guys are here," said Clown. "I've had to hide ever since those skeletons came. Sure, I like a good scare every now and then, but those things bite!"

"Literally," added Eddy.

"We need you to unlock the Main Gate so we can get into the Graveyard," said Jack. "You have the key, right?"

"Yeah, I _had _it," said Clown. "But when it became too dangerous, I ended up hiding it. Now, where did I put it? Uh . . . did I eat it? Uh . . . I'll open the gate for you as soon as I find it."

"I ate a key once," said Ed. "Discreetly."

"I guess the only thing for us to do now is get out of here," said Jack.

They ran back over to the ladder. The only problem was that it was too far away for them to climb back up.

"Now what?" asked Double D.

"See that?" asked Jack. He pointed to a piece of the ladder that was sticking out. "We can latch onto that to get out of here." Jack arched down. "Soul Robber!" he called out. The Soul Robber shot out and grabbed the hook, pulling Jack up and out of the sewer.

"What about us?" yelled Double D.

Eddy took out his Yo-Yo Mace, and was surprised when it didn't do anything. "Uh . . . grab the hook?" he asked it. The Yo-Yo Mace shot out of Eddy's hand and grabbed the hook. "WHOA!" Eddy yelled as he was shot up. Luckily, as he was being pulled up, Double D and Ed had grabbed his legs.

---

When the four emerged from the sewer, they were greeted by another surprise. The skeletons were back on the surface. Corpse Kid was nowhere to be found, so he had probably ran off to hide.

"Not again . . . " said Double D.

"At least there aren't as many," said Eddy.

"ATTACK THE SKELETONS AGAIN!" said Ed, once again charging.

Eddy was right. There weren't as many skeletons this time, so the team easily beat them. As soon as the last skeleton was destroyed, the team was met with the sound of the Main Gate opening. They looked and saw Clown and Corpse Kid standing near the entrance.

"I got the gate open for you, Jack," said Clown as they ran over.

"But not before some of Oogie's baddies grabbed Sally and carried her off toward the cemetery," added Corpse Kid. "I heard the cemetery's pretty dangerous these days. I hope she's okay."

"_What_?" Eddy asked in disbelief.

"They took _Sally_?" asked Double D.

"I think they took Miss Sally, guys," said Ed.

Jack let out a light growl. "That's it," he said softly. "No more Mr. Nice Bones!" He then ran out through the gate.

"Jack, wait up!" Eddy called as he, Double D, and Ed ran after the now very ticked-off Pumpkin King.

But little did they know that a few certain somebodies were there as well. . .


	6. The Hanging Tree

Ed, Double D, Eddy, and Jack slowly entered the Graveyard, which was filled with-you guessed it-tombstones.

"Oh dear," said Double D. "I always get nervous when I have to go through here."

"Yeah, I guess," said Eddy. "Somebody might feel claustrophobic surrounded by all these graves."

"It's actually quite homey once you get used to it," said Jack.

"SQUAWK! SQUAWK!"

Ed seemed to have the right idea. He was now perched on top of one of the tombstones, his back hunched over, his arms flapping like wings. "I am a vulture," he said to his friends. "SQUAWK! SQUAWK!"

"Well, Ed's lack of sleep is evident once again," said Double D.

"Where to next, Jack?" asked Eddy.

"Hey, look there," said Jack, pointing off into the distance.

The Stouthearted Eds looked. In the distance, there was a huge tree in the middle of the graveyard. But below it, there seemed to be a smaller tree with rope hanging off the branches. And did it have . . . a face?

"Maybe he can help us," said Jack.

"Who's 'he'?" asked Eddy.

"We have to keep moving," said Jack. "Come on!"

"SQUAWK!" said Ed.

But as the foursome moved through the maze of tombs, they found out that Corpse Kid was right about the cemetery being dangerous. Those crazy skeletons kept popping up all over the place! If the Stouthearted Eds didn't have their new weapons, they might not have made it.

---

It took some time, but the team finally got to the giant tree in the center of the cemetery. The smaller tree with the face turned around.

"Oh, Jack!" said the tree. "You've finally returned?"

"Hello, Hanging Tree," said Jack. He looked at the rope tied to the branches. "Hey, where are your Hanging Men?"

"Ever since Oogie's skeletons began to appear in the Graveyard, my Hanging Men have begun to hide all over the cemetery," said the Hanging Tree. "I'm afraid Hanging Men aren't very brave."

"Then it seems we're both missing people," said Double D. "We've lost Sally."

"Hey, you haven't seen Sally, have you?" asked Eddy.

"No, but maybe my Hanging Men have seen her," said the Hanging Tree.

"But how are we supposed to ask them if they're hiding?" asked Eddy.

"Hmm . . . " mumbled Jack. "We could really use Zero's nose at a time like this."

"Zero?" asked Eddy. "Your dog?"

"I'll bet you'll find Zero back in his grave, over at the entrance to the Graveyard," said the Hanging Tree.

"Back at the _entrance_?" asked Eddy. "Why didn't we think of that _before _coming all the way over here?"

"Now, Eddy," said Double D. "Be patient."

"ZERO'S GOT A NOSE, EDDY!" yelled Ed. He began to run back to the entrance.

"ED!" Eddy and Double D yelled, running after their friend.

"Don't worry," said Jack. "We'll find your Hanging Men." Then he ran after the three boys.

---

The Stouthearted Eds were panting heavily by the time they got back to Zero's grave, but Jack seemed just fine. Apparently, he was in better shape than the three boys.

"Geez, those skeletons just won't quit," said Double D.

"And there's still no sign of my candy!" moaned Eddy.

"Where's Zero's nose, Jack?" asked Ed.

"I'll get him right now," said Jack. He walked over to Zero's grave, and patted his lap twice. But nothing happened.

"What's the deal?" asked Eddy.

"I don't know," said Jack. "Zero always comes when I call him."

"Maybe he'll come if we call him," said Double D. He cupped his hands over his mouth. "Zero!" he called.

"Where are ya, mutt?" called Eddy.

"Got some BACON for ZERO!" called Ed.

Double D and Eddy looked at their friend.

"Oh, that's _sure _to work, Ed," said Double D.

"Yeah, Monobrow," said Eddy. "You want everyone here to think we're a bunch of weirdos?"

_**Laa, la, la, la, la, laa!  
La, la, la, la, laa!  
Laa, la, la, la, la, laa!  
La, la, la, la, laa! **_

"Do you hear something?" asked Double D.

"Oh man. . ." Eddy mumbled when he saw just who was coming toward them.

**_Hail to Mister Oogie!  
Jack will never win!  
When you find our booby traps  
They will do you in! _**

A certain walking bathtub with three certain brats riding in it stopped right in front of the team. As the brats took off their masks, they each declared their name.

"Lock!"

"Shock!"

"Barrel!"

"It is the kidnappers of Santa!" Ed exclaimed, taking his monster head off.

"Hmm . . . " said Jack. "I might have known."

"Welcome home, Jack," said Lock.

"How was your trip, Jack?" asked Shock.

"Are you having fun, Jack?" asked Barrel.

"With you three around?" asked Eddy. "Heck, no!"

"You three wouldn't have anything to do with Oogie's return, would you?" asked Jack.

"Who . . . " began Lock.

". . .Us?" finished Shock.

"Oh . . . uh . . . um . . . " mumbled Barrel. Shock nudged him in the shoulder.

It was then Eddy noticed that an all-too-familiar looking bag was sitting next to Barrel's feet . . .

"It's not too late," said Jack. "Return this town to order."

"Immediately!" added Double D.

"Why would we do that?" asked Lock.

"The fun has just begun!" said Shock.

"Only three brats' opinion," said Double D.

"Besides, we're on a secret mission to stop you!" said Barrel. "Don't tell anyone, though! Hee hee hee!"

"Ooh, ooh!" said Ed. "I won't tell!"

Lock hit Barrel on the head with his plunger, then jumped out of the bathtub, right in front of Jack.

"See you later!" Shock said as she and Barrel rode away in the walking bathtub.

"HEY, WAIT!" Eddy suddenly yelled, chasing after the bathtub. But before he could catch up, a giant metal fence popped up from the ground, surrounding the foursome and Lock.

"So, you and your weirdo friends are here too, huh Lothar?" Lock seemed to be asking Ed. "Fine!"

"_Weirdo_?" asked Eddy.

"_Lothar_?" asked Double D.

"I forget what we're doing," said Ed.

"Now you'll have to play with me!" said Lock, putting his mask back on. As he swung his plunger, more skeletons rose from the ground.

"Oh, that's just what we need right now," said Eddy.

"CHARGE!" yelled Ed, once again ramming into skeletons.

Jack, Eddy, and Double D joined the fray, too. Though Lock had seemed intimidating at first, in truth, he wasn't that brave. Since the skeletons simply smashed into dust when they hit them, it wasn't long before they were all gone. The metal fence sunk back into the ground.

"GET 'EM!" Lock yelled. But nothing happened. "Huh? Where'd they all go?" When Lock took off his mask to get a better view, all he saw was four sets of eyes glaring at him. "Sorry. I'll be good from now on," he said, putting one arm behind his back. "I promise! Gotta go!"

But Ed knew better. He knew Lock had his fingers crossed behind his back.

"HEY, WAIT!" Eddy yelled again as he watched Lock run away. He let out a groan.

"Eddy, I think those kids still think that Ed's name is Lothar," said Double D.

"Forget that!" said Eddy. "We need to get my candy back from those little thieves!"

"Your candy, Eddy?" asked Double D.

"Eddy's candy bag was in that walking bathtub," said Ed.

"They must have found it back in Halloween Town," said Eddy. "I'm not resting until I get that candy back!" he declared.

"Yes, well, you can work on that," said Double D. "In the meantime . . . Jack, why don't you try calling Zero again?"

Jack went back over to Zero's grave, and once again patted his lap twice. This time, a small ghost dog with a jack o' lantern nose popped out, barking happily.

"There you are, Zero!" said Jack. "Come on. We need your help to find some Hanging Men."

Zero barked, meaning that he understood. He flew off back near the giant tree.

Double D thought of something. "Ed, maybe you can assist us as well," he said. "You're good at tracking things, right? You can help us find the Hanging Men."

"I don't know what one looks like, Double D," said Ed.

"Hmm, you're right," said Double D. "I know! We'll follow Zero to the first one, then you can get the Hanging Men's scent, and help us find the rest!"

"Yeah, like that's going to work," said Eddy.

"It worked with you and your cheap cologne, didn't it?" asked Double D.

"Cheap cologne?" asked Jack.

"It's a long story," said Eddy.

---

"Follow Zero, follow Zero, follow Zero . . . " said Ed as the team followed the little ghost dog to the first Hanging Man. As it turns out, it was cowering behind one of the walls not too far from the giant tree.

"We'll take care of Oogie's lackeys," Jack calmly explained. "You get on back to the Hanging Tree."

Before it did, Ed got a good whiff of it, and soon he was taking off just as fast as Zero.

"Geez Ed, wait up, will ya?" Eddy called to his friend as he, Double D, and Jack ran to catch up. They just caught Ed and Zero entering a gate that led to another part of the Graveyard.

When Eddy, Double D, and Jack finally caught up, they found Ed and Zero circling a small gap near a bridge. When they looked down, there was another Hanging Man, hanging from a branch that was sticking out.

"I'm sorry, but we haven't got time to play 'Hide and go Shriek'," said Jack. "It's time to go back to the Hanging Tree."

"Hide and go . . . what?" asked Eddy.

"You've never heard of it?" asked Jack as Ed and Zero took off again.

"Well, yes, but . . . " Double D began. "Oh, never mind."

The next Hanging Man was hiding behind a thick patch of weeds which Jack had to break with the Soul Robber.

"Wow, that's strong," said Eddy.

"This area is safe now," said Jack. "You can go on back to the Hanging Tree."

The next one was a little tougher. It was across a ledge that could only be reached by a hooked branch. Zero flew across easily, but Ed couldn't fly, so he just pointed in the right direction. Since the Soul Robber and the Yo-Yo Mace could grab onto branches, Jack and Eddy swung across. They walked over to the Hanging Man dangling from the tree.

"It wasn't easy finding you," said Jack.

"I'll say it wasn't," said Eddy, looking at how deep the ledge was.

"Go on back to the Hanging Tree," said Jack.

After Jack and Eddy swung back over, Ed and Zero were off again. They seemed to be leading the others all the way back to the first part of the Graveyard.

"Where'd they go?" Jack asked as they reentered through the gate.

"There!" said Double D, pointing to the giant tree.

"But that's back where we started!" protested Eddy.

"Well, you never know," said Jack. "Come on!"

When the three got to the giant tree, they just saw Ed climbing back down. The last Hanging Man had been hiding at the top of the tree, and Ed had climbed up and got it. The only problem was that the Hanging Man was latched tightly onto Ed's body.

"Don't be afraid," said Jack. "It's time to go back to the Hanging Tree."

"Is that it?" Eddy asked as the last Hanging Man went back to the Hanging Tree.

"It should be," said Jack. "He has five in all."

"Then we got them all," said Double D. "Good work, Ed."

But when they looked over at Ed, they saw him just standing there, smacking his face into the ground.

"I am a woodpecker!" Ed exclaimed between smacks. "'Cept with dirt!"


	7. Grave Danger

After Jack, Eddy, and Double D stopped Ed from doing his "dirt-pecker" impression, the team headed back to talk to the Hanging Tree.

"Thank you for finding my Hanging Men, boys," said the Hanging Tree. "Without them, I wouldn't be much of a Hanging Tree, would I?"

"Yeah, that's all well and good," said Eddy. "What I want to know is where all these stupid skeletons are coming from."

"I noticed that some of the tombstones in the Graveyard are overturned," said the Hanging Tree. "The skeletons might be coming from there."

"So all we have to do is put the tombstones back up?" asked Double D.

"Yes, that should work," said Jack.

"But they're probably all over the place!" said Eddy. "It'll take too long if we have to put them all back one by one!"

"Well, how many of them are there?" asked Double D.

"Eight," said Ed.

Jack, Double D, and Eddy stared at Ed.

"Ed, how did you know that?" asked Double D.

"I counted them all when Zero's nose and I were searching for the Hanging Guys," said Ed. "Am I good or what?"

"What makes you so special?" asked Eddy.

"I eat cereal, Eddy," Ed beamed.

"Well, if there are eight, we should be able to do four each if we split up," said Jack. "You boys will do fine without me, right?"

"Are you kidding?" asked Eddy. "We can defend ourselves now. The Stouthearted Eds are on the case!"

"And while you're doing that, I'll see if any of my Hanging Men have seen Sally," said the Hanging Tree.

"Good plan," said Double D.

"Ed, those tombstones are probably heavy, so we need you to hoist them up while Double D and I pull," said Eddy.

"Ed?" asked Ed. "I'll go get him, Eddy." He then grabbed Double D and Eddy and they ran off to the first tombstone.

"We'll meet back at the giant tree, okay?" Jack called after them.

Eddy flashed a thumbs-up.

---

It wasn't long before they got to the first tombstone, which was a few feet away from the giant tree.

"Now what?" asked Double D.

"Ed, you get on the other side and push," Eddy ordered. "Double D, help me wrap the Yo-Yo Mace around the stone so we can pull it up."

"Can do, Eddy," said Ed, running to the top of the tombstone and beginning to push.

"I'm surprised with you, Eddy," said Double D.

"What?" asked Eddy.

"Why, just a few years ago, you wouldn't even think about helping us out like this," said Double D. "And now you're doing your fair share. Why the change of heart?"

"Well, a lot has changed in the past few years," said Eddy.

"Like meeting Jack?" asked Double D.

"Sort of . . . " Eddy said as he and Double D began to pull.

"What exactly happened last year when you two were riding in the sleigh?" asked Double D.

"Oh . . . " Eddy paused. Honestly, he didn't really want to talk about what he and Jack had found out about the map of Halloween Town. "Nothing big happened," he said finally. "I just finally decided to come out from hiding, Jack started giving his presents out, we talked a little, then we were shot down. Nothing big."

"What did you talk about?" asked Double D.

". . .Stuff," said Eddy.

Double D looked at his friend. "Stuff," he repeated.

"Yeah, just stuff you don't need to know about, all right?" asked Eddy.

"Well, I'm still curious," said Double D. "But if you don't want to talk about it, I respect your decision, Eddy."

"Really?" asked Eddy. "Uh . . . thanks."

At that point, the Stouthearted Eds moved the tombstone just enough so that it shifted back into place.

"Ed's not here, Eddy," said Ed.

"Uh . . . yeah," said Eddy. "Come on. We need to find three more tombstones and meet up with Jack. We've still got Sally to find, you know."

"Oh, I do hope she's okay," said Double D. "But why are _you _interested, Eddy?"

"Geez, I can't be worried about my friends?" asked Eddy. "Sally's a good person! She doesn't deserve to be taken away."

"Oh dear . . . " Double D suddenly mumbled as he turned around.

And he had good reason to. The Stouthearted Eds were surrounded by skeletons!

"I'm afraid we'll have to put this conversation on hold," said Double D, taking out his Death Rattle.

"Fine by me," said Eddy.

"ATTACK!" yelled Ed.

---

To make a long story short, the Stouthearted Eds made quick work of the skeletons, and ran off to find the remaining three tombstones. They quickly realized that every time they put a tombstone back, a batch of skeletons would pop up. Luckily, thanks to their new weapons, the Eds were just fine through the whole thing. It took them a while, but they finally got their remaining three tombstones back into place.

The Stouthearted Eds also realized how terribly _out of shape_ the three of them were. All three of them were panting heavily when they got back to the giant tree to wait for Jack.

"I got four of the tombstones put back in place," Jack said when he returned. "How about you three?"

"Four tombstones present and accounted for," Ed gasped, since he wasn't panting as heavily.

"Thank you so much, boys," said the Hanging Tree. "Now that you're here, Halloween Town will be back to its old self."

"That's what we're hoping for," Eddy said as he and the others stood up.

"And I have good news," said the Hanging Tree. "One of the Hanging Men just told me he heard a woman singing from under the ground."

"_Under _the ground?" asked Eddy.

"It's a cannibalistic mole mutant!" exclaimed Ed.

"Now Ed, let's not start that again!" said Double D. "Oh!" He was surprised when he felt something tap the back of his head. When he turned around, he found a folded piece of paper at his feet.

"What's that, Sockhead?" Eddy asked as Double D picked up the paper.

Jack gasped. "It's a paper plane from Sally!" he exclaimed. He reached out to take it, but the plane suddenly disappeared in Double D's hands. "Where did that come from, Double D?" Jack asked.

"Well, from what I could tell . . . " Double D began to calculate. "The plane must have come from that direction," he concluded, pointing.

The Hanging Tree looked in the same direction. "Down that way lies the Underground Burial Chamber," he said.

"The Burial Chamber?" asked Eddy.

"It's the largest grave in this area," the Hanging Tree explained. "It's infested with spiders and cobwebs. Oh, how romantic."

"Uh, yeah. Sure . . . " Eddy mumbled. Then he cringed.

"Yes!" said Jack. "That's where Sally must be!" He began running in that direction, the Stouthearted Eds sprinting behind him. As they ran, all four of them couldn't help but be excited.

_Hang on, Sally. We're coming!_


	8. The Crypt Keeper

"I bet Sally's gonna be happy to see you, Jack!" said Eddy.

"And I'll be glad to see her too," said Jack. "I really missed her while I was gone."

"Ooh!" said Ed, skidding to a stop. "What's that I see?"

By this time, the team was right in front of the bridge that led to the other part of the Graveyard. Ed ran up and picked something up off the ground. He ran back to Double D.

"Read to me what is on Miss Sally's paper plane, Double D," said Ed.

"_Another _one?" asked Eddy.

"Well, at least this one actually has something written on it," said Double D. He unfolded the paper and began to read.

"_Jack, hurry up and come back to town! Lock, Shock, and Barrel brought Oogie back to life, and he's taken over Halloween Town! The skeletons that are probably attacking you now were made by Dr. Finkelstein and are being controlled by Oogie. These skeletons were specifically designed to stop you at all costs, and they will stop at nothing to track you down!"_

Jack's eyes widened. Double D's jaw dropped when he stopped reading. Ed and Eddy didn't seem to know what to do. Eddy broke the silence.

"I always knew that doc was a quack," said Eddy.

"Eddy, the doctor doesn't look anything like a duck," said Jack.

"No," said Eddy. "'Quack' means . . . ah, forget it."

"Well, that explains why these skeletons are so bent on getting rid of us," said Double D.

"We'd better hurry and find Sally," said Jack.

"Right!" said all three Stouthearted Eds.

The team quickly crossed the bridge to the other side. But just as the Underground Burial Chamber was in their sights . . .

"Why do you always have to spoil our fun?"

The team stopped. They definitely knew _that _voice.

"This is the last time you'll get in our way!" Lock yelled, jumping out from behind a tombstone.

"What, again?" Eddy asked as another metal fence surrounded them.

"Hey, this time Lock's inside the fence with us," Double D noticed.

"ATTACK THE KIDNAPPER OF SANTA!" Ed yelled, charging.

"Ed, no, wait!" Double D yelled.

But it was too late. Ed was flailing all over the place, while the remaining three had to deal with the skeletons Lock had summoned. Just as the last skeleton was destroyed, Ed's head connected with Lock. Both boys toppled to the ground, incredibly dizzy.

"Cool!" Ed yelled as the metal fence sunk back into the ground. "Let's do it again."

"NOT again!" said Eddy.

_Clunk._

"Hey, did something just unlock in that building?" Double D asked, pointing to the Burial Chamber.

Jack kneeled down in front of Lock.

"You win this time, Jack," said Lock.

"There won't be a next time," said Jack.

"Of course not, Jack," said Lock, putting his arm behind his back. "Whatever you say." Then he ran off again. Ed stuck his tongue out at Lock when he wasn't looking.

"I think we can go in there now!" said Double D, pointing to the Burial Chamber.

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" asked Eddy. "Let's go in there and get Sally!"

---

When the team entered the first part of the chamber, they learned that the Hanging Tree was right about the spiders and cobwebs. They were all over the place. It took all of Eddy's strength to keep from gagging as they made their way through the mess.

They finally made it to the door on the other side of the room, Jack went in first, with the Stouthearted Eds slamming the door shut behind them.

"_Man_, I hate spiders," said Eddy, shuddering.

"They're actually quite fascinating when you get used to them," said Double D.

"Yeah, to you," said Eddy. "But they bug me."

Jack, meanwhile, took a few steps forward, then he stopped. He grinned.

"Sally!"

"Jack!"

The Stouthearted Eds turned around just in time to see Jack and Sally running toward each other. They were overjoyed!

"Yes!" said Eddy, giving Double D a high-five.

Jack and Sally met in the middle of the room. Jack reached for her hands. "Sally . . . "

"Jack . . . "

"Ed!" said Ed.

This caused Eddy to smack Ed on the back of the head, and Double D to shush him. As Double D turned back to the heartwarming scene before him, he happened to glance upward. Then he froze.

"GYYYAAAAAAAAAH!"

Double D's sudden shriek caught the attention of everyone else. They looked up and saw that Double D had good reason to scream. The biggest spider that any of them had ever seen was sitting on the ceiling, just above Jack and Sally!

Suddenly, Sally was jerked upwards. "AAAH!" she gasped.

"What's this?" asked Jack. He could just make out that something that looked like spider silk had been wrapped around Sally's body.

Then the spider jumped down with a THUD. Then it roared in Jack's face.

"Aw, _man_!" groaned Eddy. "That's exactly what we need right now."

"SMASH THE SPIDER!" yelled Ed.

Double D looked worriedly up at Sally. "Patience, Sally!" he called. "We'll free you!"

As Jack and the Stouthearted Eds readied their weapons, Sally began to sing. And the boys couldn't help but join in.

Sally: **_We should have known not to believe  
And things would not have turned so bad _**

Jack: **_It's true his plan was to deceive  
But that should not make you so sad _**

Sally: **_But danger waits at every turn_**

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_And we are ready  
To set things right here_**

Sally:**_ How can you say that you will be okay?  
And come back another day?_**

---

"Sally, I'm here," said Jack. "You're safe now."

"Jack!" said Sally.

---

Sally: **_What will become of our dear town?  
Now that we've let our leader down_**

Eddy: What?

Jack: **_You know, dear Sally, that's not true  
We can take this town back, me and you _**

Sally: **_There's so much danger yet to face _**

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_But we're not worried  
_**Jack: **_Back home I hurried_**

Jack, Sally, Ed Edd n Eddy: **_Now we must stop  
That evil Oogie's scheme  
And save our Halloween _**

---

By this time, the spider was about half its original size. But it still was still standing.

"This is tougher than I thought . . . " said Jack.

"Tired . . . " said Double D. "So tired . . . "

"You can do it, Jack!" said Sally.

"I'm helping too, Miss Sally!" said Ed. "'Cause I have a Bony Helmet!"

---

Sally: **_We should have known not to believe  
And things would not have turned so bad _**

Jack: **_It's true his plan was to deceive  
But that should not make you so sad _**

Sally: **_But danger waits at every turn _**

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_And we are ready  
To set things right here _**

Sally: **_How can you say that you will be okay?  
And come back another day?_**

---

"You're really making me angry . . . " Jack growled at the spider.

"The only good spider is a squashed spider!" declared Eddy.

"Jack, watch out!" said Sally.

---

Sally: **_What will become of our dear town?  
Now that we've let our leader down_**

Eddy: What?

Jack: **_You know, dear Sally, that's not true  
We can take this town back, me and you _**

Sally: **_There's so much danger yet to face_**

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_But we're not worried  
_**Jack: **_Back home I hurried _**

Jack, Sally, Ed Edd n Eddy: **_If we work hard  
We'll overcome our shame  
And beat him at his game_**

Now the giant spider was about the size of a regular spider, due to the boys smacking it around so much.

"One more good hit ought to do it!" said Double D.

"Hold on, Sally!" said Jack. Then the Soul Robber began to glow bright green.

"JACK!" yelled Sally.

"Soul Robber!" said Jack, whipping it out and grabbing the spider. Then he began to swing the Soul Robber in a circle, picking up speed with each spin. "I am the Pumpkin King! HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!" Then, when he was at top speed, Jack flung the spider at the wall.

BOOM!

"HA!" said Eddy, running over to the spider, followed by Double D and Ed. "How do you like _that_, you nasty spider? That's what you get for messing with the Stouthearted Eds!" Eddy turned around chuckling, but then his face turned to pure horror. The rope holding Sally was just about to snap! "JACK!" yelled Eddy, pointing.

"SALLY!" Jack yelled. He ran as fast as he could to catch her. Just then, the rope snapped.

"I can't look!" Eddy and Double D said together, covering their eyes.

Ed, on the other hand, watched as Jack made it just in time. Sally landed safely in his outstretched arms.

"Miss Sally's fine," said Ed. Double D and Eddy peeked through their fingers.

"Jack . . . " said Sally.

Double D and Eddy let out big sighs of relief.

"Geez, give us heart attacks, why don't you?" asked Eddy, shifting his weight so he could lean on the wall. However, he wasn't quite close enough, so he landed on the ground. But as he did, something fell out from behind one of the tombstones in the room.

"OH!" said Double D, picking it up. Then all three Stouthearted Eds had smug little grins on their faces.

"What?" asked Jack.

"If this isn't irony, I don't know what is," said Eddy.

Then they held up their prize for Jack and Sally to see. Jack gasped.

The Stouthearted Eds were proudly displaying the Valentines Day Holiday Door.

---

Later, Jack, Sally, and the Stouthearted Eds were back at the giant tree in the center of the Graveyard, along with the Hanging Tree and Zero.

"Are you all right, Sally?" asked Jack.

"Oh, Jack," said Sally. "You came back!"

"Well, duh," said Eddy. "He got your note!"

Sally took something out of her pocket. "You have to rescue Dr. Finkelstein!" she said to Jack and the Eds. "This key opens the gate to his manor."

Double D took the key.

"Thanks, Sally," said Jack. ". . .I'm glad you're safe," he added shyly.

"We're all safe," said Sally. "Now that our Pumpkin King has returned."

The Stouthearted Eds nodded in agreement.

"Pumpkin King?" asked Jack. "Sally, that's it!"

"What's it?" asked Sally.

"Yes, please enlighten us, Jack," said Double D.

"I _am _the Pumpkin King!" said Jack. "And I can use my Pumpkin Fire to fight Oogie and his army! Good thinking, Sally!"

"Thank you, Jack," said Sally.

"No," said Jack. "Thank _you_, Sally."

The Eds couldn't take it anymore. All three of them burst into laughter.

"I'm sorry . . . " Double D gasped.

"You two are so _cute _together!" said Eddy.

"Jack and Miss Sally sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Ed sang.


	9. The Doctor's Hunch

After the Stouthearted Eds finally stopped laughing, they, along with Jack, began to make their way to the doctor's lab.

But as they were about to leave, Sally remembered something. "Just before you go inside the doctor's lab, could you come back here?" she asked the boys. "Something concerns me . . . "

The boys promised that they would.

---

"I just don't get it," Jack said as they made their way back to the center of Halloween Town. "Sure, the doctor is difficult sometimes, but he would never want to hurt anybody."

"Ah, chances are that Oogie probably did something to him, too," said Eddy.

"That's actually a strong possibility," said Double D. "Who knows what else Oogie might have done."

"He put monsters in pumpkins!" exclaimed Ed.

"What?" asked Eddy.

"Before I went into the big building, I went over there, in the field with a bunch of pumpkins," said Ed, pointing to another gate which led to the pumpkin patch. "But then a bunch of ghosts popped out of them, and I couldn't go through. They were bad."

"Then I guess we'll have to go there after we deal with the doctor," said Jack.

"And figure out a way to get rid of those possessed pumpkins," said Double D.

"There's the gate that leads to the doctor's lab," said Jack, pointing to another gate. "We need the key to open it."

"Way ahead of you," said Double D, taking out the key. He ran over to the gate and unlocked it. "Oh, I do hope the doctor listens to reason."

"Well, the way things are now, something tells me that's not going to happen," said Jack, walking through the gate.

"Oh dear . . . " mumbled Double D.

"Ah, this'll be a piece of cake," said Eddy, following Jack. "And we might even find my candy!"

"Candy, Double D!" said Ed, pulling Double D in behind him.

---

"I hope the doctor's okay . . . " Jack said as they entered the area around the lab.

"I think he was expecting us," said Double D.

Double D thought right. The entryway that led up to the doctor's laboratory was being guarded by a fence made of electricity.

"How the heck do we get through that?" asked Eddy.

"Ooh! Ooh! I saw this in a movie once!" said Ed. "Somewhere around here is a lever to turn the power off!"

"Then we'll have to split up and look for it," said Jack. "It has to be around here somewhere. Just be careful, boys. There's bound to be other surprises lurking around here."

"Normally, I wouldn't find it wise to go along with Ed's ideas . . . " said Double D. "But since this is a desperate time, it seems we have no choice."

"Then let's find this lever or whatever so we can go up there and knock some sense into the doc!" said Eddy.

---

While Jack, Ed, and Eddy stuck around the gate, Double D found himself traveling north, where a big metal structure stood. When he got to the base of it, he was surprised to find stairs that led up.

"Maybe I'll find something up there . . . " Double D thought out loud. But just then, more skeletons popped up from the ground, much to Double D's horror. The doctor wasn't taking any chances!

So Double D did exactly what he did before: readied his Death Rattle, covered his eyes, and charged forward right into the army and up the stairs. When he reached the top, he looked behind him. Then he grinned. There wasn't a skeleton left.

"My battle strategy seems to be working quite well," Double D said in satisfaction. He looked around the upper level. "Hello?" There was a part of the structure that seemed to be boarded off.

"That's strange . . . " said Double D, walking over to the boarded-off wall. He made a quick calculation, then readied the Death Rattle again. "I have to hit it in just the right spot . . . " Double D mumbled. Then, with all his might (and that wasn't a lot), he slammed the Death Rattle into the boards. Bulls eye.

The boarded wall instantly broke, revealing what was on the other side. Double D's eyes widened. It was a lever! "Well, at least Ed's smart about something . . . " said Double D. Then, without hesitation (which was very unlike him), he walked up and pulled on the lever.

Double D heard the sound of something turning off behind him. He turned around and saw the electricity fences shutting off. He gave a triumphant grin.

So then why did it feel like he was floating?

Double D looked down at his feet. To his surprise, there was no longer any floor underneath his feet!

"Oh dear . . . " Double D mumbled again. Then he fell through the hole, screaming the whole time.

Double D had no idea what was happening. He seemed to be falling through a tube that was leading him somewhere. But where?

Just then, Double D found himself being shot straight up, and when he landed, there was solid ground once again under him. But he couldn't tell where exactly he was. He was too dizzy.

He let out a dazed mumble. "Oh dear . . . look at the time . . . gotta go . . . ta-ta."

"Ahem."

Double D immediately went into focus and shot straight up when he heard the new voice. He knew where he had heard it before . . .

"Doctor!" Double D exclaimed. He took a quick look around. He seemed to be in the doctor's laboratory! "Oh Doctor, thank goodness! It's me, Double D, from the Stouthearted Eds! Remember?"

"All too well . . . " said the doctor.

Double D looked at the doctor. His back was turned to the boy. "Yes . . . well . . . " Double D tried again. "Listen, Doctor, Jack and my two friends, Ed and Eddy, are here too. We're worried about you, and we demand to know why you've created these monstrosities to run amok in Halloween Town!"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that right now . . . " said the doctor. He then wheeled himself around so he was facing Double D.

The doctor's stare frightened Double D. Then he got even more freaked out when he realized that the doctor was slowly wheeling himself closer to where Double D was standing!

"Uh . . . Doctor . . . I think at this time I would like to point out that I have limits to personal space . . . " Double D stammered, slowly beginning to back away. "A penny for your thoughts?" That's when Double D's back met the wall. He couldn't take his stare off the doctor. He was reaching for something. What was it?

Double D's eyes widened when he realized just what the doctor was reaching for. He held the Death Rattle in his shaky hands.

"Now, Doctor . . . let's not do anything hasty. I wouldn't want to have to use this . . . don't make me want to use this, Doctor! Listen, can't we just talk about this? Oh dear. Oh . . . NO, NOT THAT! GYAAAAAAAAAH!"

---

"Double D!" Eddy called his friend. "Where are ya, Sockhead?"

"Double D!" called Jack.

Back down below, the other three boys definitely noticed when the electricity fences seemed to shut off by themselves. But then they also noticed that Double D was missing! Now they were frantically looking for him. Jack and Eddy once again stayed by the entrance, while Ed journeyed up the trail that led to the Doctor's House.

"Found him!" Ed suddenly called.

Eddy followed his friend's voice up the path to the Doctor's House. But what he saw wasn't exactly what he had expected.

The man next to Ed was definitely _not _Double D. He was just an ugly little humpbacked man (he was shorter than Eddy!) with only one eye open. He was dressed in laboratory garb as well.

"You idiot!" Eddy barked at Ed. "Does _that _look like Double D to you?" he asked, pointing to the humpbacked man.

Ed looked at the humpbacked man carefully. "Maybe with a hat?" he asked.

Eddy groaned.

That's when Jack ran up. He knew who the humpbacked man was.

"Igor!" he said to the humpbacked man. "Where's Dr. Finkelstein?"

"Sorry, Igor under strict orders," said Igor. "Not let anyone pass."

"But we're here to rescue the doctor from Oogie!" protested Jack.

"Sorry," said Igor. "But Master said if Igor let anyone pass, no biscuit!" Then he groaned in pain. "Ohh . . . Igor starving!"

"Oh, brother . . . " Eddy groaned.

"Th-the Witch Shop . . . " said Igor. "You bring Igor biscuit, huh?"

"Okay, Igor," said Jack. "If we bring you a biscuit, you'll let us pass?"

"Yes! Igor do for Jack and Jack's friends!" said Igor. "Hurry! Igor starving!"

"What about Double D?" asked Eddy.

"We have other things to worry about now," said Jack, heading back toward the gate.

"Man. . .first my candy, now Double D?" asked Eddy. "What next?"

"Your magazines?" asked Ed. "Oh . . . I guess you already lost those."

"Don't remind me . . . " said Eddy.

---

"Back at the Witch Shop," said Ed.

"This better be worth it," said Eddy.

"It will," said Jack.

CLANG!

"Now what?" Eddy asked, turning around. The gate leading back into the center of Halloween Town had closed behind them!

"Hey, Jack!"

Eddy winced at this voice.

"I don't think you'll find me as forgiving as Lock!"

Shock jumped out from behind the wall, followed by Lock and Barrel.

"I _let _you win before!" said Lock.

"Quiet, you!" said Barrel, hitting his cohort.

"Time for some help!" said Shock as Lock and Barrel ducked back behind the wall. She put her mask back on. This time, instead of skeletons, ghosts began popping up from the ground. "GET 'EM!"

"Aw, man. . ." grumbled Eddy.

"Don't worry, Eddy!" said Ed. "I can take 'em, 'cause I got a Bony Helmet!" He charged into the ghost army.

"Yeah," said Jack, readying the Soul Robber. "This won't take long."

"Whatever . . . " said Eddy, swinging his Yo-Yo Mace.

Thanks mostly to Ed's charge tactics, soon enough, all the ghosts were gone.

Shock took her mask off. There weren't any ghosts to be seen. "Huh? Where'd they all go?" Eddy, Ed, and Jack glared at her. "TIME TO SCRAM!" Shock suddenly shouted, diving behind the wall.

"Hey, hold on!" said Eddy, running over to the wall. "GIVE ME BACK MY CANDY!"

"That girl reminds me of Baby Sister," said Ed.

"Yes, well, I think we have more important things to worry about," said Jack, entering the Witch Shop.

But before Ed and Eddy could enter, Jack was back outside.

"That was quick," said Eddy.

"They don't have any more," said Jack.

"_What_?" asked Eddy.

"But they said Corpse Kid has some," said Jack. "Let's go ask him for some."

"Way ahead of you!" said Eddy, running off.

"Wait up, Eddy!" called Ed. He and Jack ran after their friend.

Eddy got to Corpse Kid first. "Hey, kid!" he said. "Hand over the biscuits!"

"Eddy, don't be rude," Jack said as he caught up.

"What?" asked Corpse Kid. "You want my biscuit? No way! These are mine!"

"Okay!" said Ed. He began to walk away.

Eddy stopped Ed, then went back to rubbing his temples. When would this end?

"My fine boy," Jack said calmly. "I need that biscuit to save the Doctor from Oogie Boogie's clutches!"

"And get my candy back!" added Eddy.

"And Double D, too!" added Ed.

"Oh . . . " said Corpse Kid. "But this biscuit's mine! Well . . . I guess you guys need it more than me . . . I know! I'll give you guys my biscuit if you can pass my quiz! It's about Halloween Town, so it should be easy for you, Pumpkin King!"

"Yeah, for him," said Eddy.

"Aw, come on, Eddy!" said Ed. "Quizzes are fun!"

"Yeah, for you," said Eddy.

"Question one," said Corpse Kid. "What day is Halloween?"

"October 31," said Jack.

"That's right!" said Corpse Kid. "Question two: How many Hanging Men does the Hanging Tree have?"

"Five!" said Ed. "I know that 'cause I counted them!"

"That's right! Question three: what color is the water in the Halloween Town Fountain?"

Eddy looked at the fountain. "I'm gonna give a wild guess," he said. "Green?"

"That's right! Question four: what is the main ingredient used for Halloween?"

"Thrills and chills," said Jack.

"That's right! Question five: what is the name of the town Jack lives in?"

"Halloween Town," all three boys said together.

"That's right! Question six: how many fingers does Jack have on one hand?"

Eddy looked at Jack's hands. "Four?"

"That's right! Question seven: What is Jack's last name?"

"Skellington!" said Ed. "Jack Skellington's the Pumpkin King!"

"That's right! Question eight: St. Patrick's Day, Independence Day, and New Year's Day. Which one doesn't have its own Holiday Door?"

"New Year's Day," said Eddy.

"That's right! Question nine: What color is Sally's hair?"

Jack smiled. "Red," he said.

"That's right! Question ten: How many bolts are on Dr. Finkelstein's head?"

Eddy's eyes widened. How was _he _supposed to know that? Even Jack was a little perplexed on this one. Who would know . . .

"Eight!" Ed suddenly blurted out.

Eddy and Jack looked at their friend dressed as a monster.

"That's right!" said Corpse Kid.

Eddy and Jack's jaws dropped.

"Ed, I don't even want to know how you knew that," said Jack.

"Show-off," Eddy grumbled.

"Let's see what you know," said Corpse Kid. "Unreal! A perfect score! Way to go, guys! A deal's a deal. Here's my biscuit!"

"About time," Eddy said as Jack took the biscuits.

"Come on!" said Jack. "We need to take these to Igor!"

"And get my candy back!" said Eddy.

Ed and Jack glared at their friend.

". . .And save the doctor and find Double D," Eddy quickly added. "Sheesh . . . "


	10. The Lightning Round

Eddy, Ed, and Jack watched as Igor chomped down on a biscuit.

"Ooh . . . biscuit tastes good!" said Igor.

"Now, Igor," said Jack. "You promised to move aside."

"Igor keeps his promise," said the little humpbacked man, moving out of the way.

Jack and the remaining two Stouthearted Eds began to continue down the path, but just as they were about to climb the stairs that led up to the Doctor's lab. . .

ZAP!

A big bolt of lightning shot out from the rod at the top of the building and came crashing down at high speed, just missing Eddy.

"Oh, good lord!" Eddy yelled as he, Jack, and Ed jumped back. He looked at the rod on the top of the lab. "WHAT THE HECK?"

"Zappity zap zap?" asked Ed.

Jack looked at Igor, who was covering his head. "Where is that thing getting its power from?"

"Doctor have big generator behind the door over there," Igor answered, motioning to the big door behind him. "Jack smash circuit with something to make lightning stop!"

Jack looked at the rod. "I bet that won't stop it for long," he thought out loud. "We'd better get back quick, or we're fried."

"Yeah, that's all well and good," said Eddy. "But if that thing doesn't fry us, the doc probably will."

"Any monster a weakness it will have," said Ed.

"Ed's right . . . sort of," said Jack. "Every monster has a weak point. We just need to find out the doctor's."

"Well, who knows the doc better than anyone else?" asked Eddy.

They began to think. Then Jack and Eddy's eyes lit up at the same time.

"SALLY!" they said together.

"Hey Jack," said Eddy. "Didn't Sally say she wanted to talk to you anyway?"

"Hey, you're right!" said Jack. "I bet Sally knows something that we can use to save the doctor."

"Oh yeah?" asked Ed. "My dad has a shovel."

---

Sally's eyes lit up when she saw Jack and the two boys approaching. "Oh, Jack!" she said. "You remembered to come back to me!"

"Yeah, just barely," said Eddy.

"What you said before kind of worried me . . . " said Jack.

"It's about to doctor, Jack," said Sally. "If he tries to . . . harm you, use the Sleeping Soup to knock him out."

"Sleeping Soup?" asked Eddy. "Where the heck do we get that?"

"I can make it for you," said Sally. "But I need the ingredients first. You boys will get them for me, right?"

"Can do, Miss Sally," said Ed.

That's when Sally noticed something different about the Stouthearted Eds. "Hey, are you short one Ed?"

"Yeah, we lost Double D when we entered the doc's territory," said Eddy.

Sally gasped. "Oh dear . . . " she said. "The doctor must have taken him. Who knows what he'll do to your friend?"

"Hmm . . . I see your point," said Jack. "We'd better get up there, and fast! What are the ingredients for the soup, Sally?"

"Here," said Sally, handing Jack a piece of paper. "I wrote them down for you so you can look at them later."

"So this Sleeping Soup will make it easier to save the doc?" asked Eddy.

"It should," said Sally.

"Hey, right now, we need all the help we can get," said Eddy. "Let's give it a shot."

"Thank you, Sally," said Jack.

---

The boys began to walk away from the giant tree in the center of the Graveyard.

"Okay, let's have a look at that," said Eddy, taking the list from Jack. He began to read it out loud.

"_To make the Sleeping Soup, you need the following ingredients: Deadly Nightshade, Frog's Breath, and Worm's Wart. To get the Deadly Nightshade, go to the grave marked "Deadly Nightshade." There are many graves, so be careful! For Frog's Breath, first you need a frog. The doctor breeds them in his Junkyard. And as for Worm's Wart, you can buy it at the shop."_

"Deadly!" said Ed.

"So, how are we going to do this?" asked Jack.

"Well, it says we need a frog," said Eddy. "Which is perfect, because you're looking at the best frog catchers around! Right, Ed?"

"What?" asked Ed.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Jack. "I've seen the frogs the Doctor breeds. They're very cautious around other people."

"Ah, there hasn't been a frog Ed and I haven't been able to catch," said Eddy. "Right, Lumpy?"

"What?" asked Ed.

"So I can trust you boys to catch the frog while I get the other two items?" asked Jack.

"Sure thing!" said Eddy. "We'll catch that frog in nothing flat! Right, Monobrow?"

"What?" asked Ed.

Eddy, frustrated, grabbed the lips of Ed's monster mask and started moving them up and down.

"Sure we can, Eddy!" Eddy said in Ed's voice. "I have one eyebrow and the brain of a bug!"

"I don't know . . . " said Jack. "With all those monsters roaming about, and then there's that nasty lightning . . . "

Suddenly, Ed grabbed Eddy's lips and started moving them up and down.

"Relax, Jack!" Ed said in Eddy's voice. "I will help Ed catch it!"

Jack sighed. "Okay . . . " he said. "But hold on." Then, with a twirl and a wave of fire, Jack was suddenly dressed up in his Pumpkin King costume. He grabbed a nearby stick, inhaled, and shot fire at the stick, setting it ablaze. "I've seen the pen that holds the frogs in the Junkyard," he said, handing Eddy the stick. "It's blocked off by a fence. You have to light all the torches to open the fence. Got it?"

"Uh . . . yeah," said Eddy. "That costume's creepy. You know that, don't you?"

"Well, I _am _the Pumpkin King," said Jack.

"Whatever," said Eddy. "Anyway, we'll get the right frog, Jack. You've got nothing to worry about."

---

Ed and Eddy cautiously reentered the Doctor's territory. Jack had agreed to meet them at the junkyard after he got the other items.

"Okay . . . where's the Junkyard?" asked Eddy.

Ed looked over where the door with the giant circuit was. "Ooh, ooh!" he said, pointing to another door across from it.

"Good work, Ed," said Eddy. They ran over to the door, being careful not to be struck by lightning or let the torch go out.

"What a dump," Ed said as they entered the Junkyard.

In the distance, Eddy heard croaking. "That must be the frog pen up there," he said, pointing at the far corner of the Junkyard. "Come on!"

The two Stouthearted Eds took the elevator up. Sure enough, there was the frog pen, and it was blocked off by a fence. There were three torches in front of the pen.

"Jack said we needed to light all the torches," said Eddy.

"Uh, that one's too far away, Eddy," said Ed, pointing to the torch that wasn't near the others.

"So?" asked Eddy. "Use your head, Lumpy! Make the torch go near the others!"

"Okay," said Ed. He ran over to the other torch and head butted it. Pretty soon, with a few good head butts, the torch was right next to the others.

"Now we're talking," said Eddy. With one swoop of the stick, he lit all three of the torches.

The fence opened.

"Okay, Ed," said Eddy. "Now go in there and get us a frog."

"Which one, Eddy?" asked Ed.

"I don't know . . . " said Eddy. That's when he saw it. One of the frogs exhaled, and a thick green cloud came out of its mouth. "That one right there!" he said, pointing to it. "Get that one right there! See it?"

"Yep!" said Ed. "I'll be right back, Eddy!"

Ed ran into the frog pen to fetch the frog. But Jack had been right about the frogs being cautious around people. As soon as they saw Ed, they quickly hopped away. Ed started running all over the place, until he just couldn't run anymore. He went back to Eddy panting in defeat.

"I can't catch it, Eddy," Ed whined. "They're hopping away too fast."

Eddy began to think. How did the Stouthearted Eds usually catch frogs? That's when it hit him.

---

"Try showing some more leg, Ed!" Eddy called to his friend.

Ed was crouching in the middle of the frog pen doing his best frog impression, wearing only his underwear. Eddy held his costume and clothes. At Eddy's request, Ed lifted up one of his legs.

"Oh . . . my . . . lord . . . "

Eddy turned to see Jack standing there, staring at Ed with wide eyes.

"What did you do?" the Pumpkin King asked Eddy.

"Mellow out," said Eddy. "He's still got his underwear on."

"_This _is how you boys catch frogs?" Jack asked in disbelief.

"Well, normally, no," said Eddy. "But we couldn't just catch the right one, so I figured, 'What better to catch a frog than another frog?'"

"But that's not another frog, Eddy," said Jack. "That's Ed without any clothes on. How's he supposed to . . . "

"Got it!" Ed suddenly said. He ran back to Eddy and Jack, holding a frog. When it exhaled, a thick green cloud came out of its mouth.

"And there's your frog," said Eddy. "Told ya we were the best frog catchers around."

As Eddy gave Ed his clothes back, Jack shook his head in amazement. "Well, at least we have all the ingredients. Let's take them back to Sally."

---

The boys had given Sally all the ingredients, and they were waiting for her while she made the soup.

"Finished!" said Sally, coming back with a bowl of the soup. "Once the doctor gets a whiff of this, he'll be out like a light!"

"Thank you, Sally," said Jack as Ed took the soup. "What would I do without you?"

"You'd get in a lot more trouble 'cause of your hair-brained schemes, probably," said Eddy.

---

Ed, Eddy, and Jack went back to the door with the circuit.

"Now to smash that thing," said Jack.

"And get Double D back from the psycho doc!" said Eddy.

"Psycho!" said Ed.

As the boys entered, they saw the giant pumping circuit in the distance.

"How do we bust that thing?" asked Eddy.

"Maybe . . . " said Jack. He looked at a nearby rock. "Maybe if we take that rock through the maze, we can throw it at the circuit to smash it."

"Zappity zap zap!" said Ed, pointing.

Eddy and Jack saw what Ed meant. The path was lined with more electricity fences.

"How do we carry the rock?" asked Eddy.

"Like this," said Jack. "Soul Robber!"

Jack grabbed the rock with the Soul Robber. "You boys wait here," he said. "I'll be right back."

Ed and Eddy watched as Jack carefully made his way through the maze, smashing the assorted debris in his way. When Jack finally got to the giant circuit, he aimed carefully, then threw the rock right in the center of it.

"All right!" said Eddy.

"Now, to save the Doctor!" said Jack.

Jack ran back through the maze as fast as his long, skinny legs would carry him. He, Eddy, and Ed made their way back to the main path. . .

Only to find it infested with monsters.

"Aw man. . ." grumbled Eddy.

"ATTACK!" yelled Ed, charging head first once again.

"Fine by me!" said Eddy, beginning to run. Jack followed him.

The three fought their way up the stairs and to the door of the Doctor's lab. They quickly entered the lab and slammed the door behind them.

Ed and Eddy were panting heavily. Jack let out a sigh of relief. But just when the three were beginning to think that the worst was over . . .

"Jaaaack! I was wondering when you'd get here!"

Eddy and Jack looked around to see where the voice was coming from. Then Ed pointed up.

The Doctor's Lab consisted of a huge spiral that led to the top. And who would be waiting at the top, but one of the little brats herself, Shock.

"Think you can reach me?" Shock asked. "Try it. It's fun! I know _I'm _having a ball!"

Just then, a chute behind Shock opened, and a monstrous metal ball popped out and began rolling down the spiral.

"Oh, great," Eddy grumbled again. "Just what we need right now. A bad pun."

"I don't want to crush your spirit, Jack," said Shock, putting her mask back on. "Just your body!"

Eddy's eyes widened at this comment. "You were right, Ed," he said. "That kid _is _like Sarah . . . "

"No time for that now," said Jack. "We have to make it to the top."

"This reminds me of that one game on that show with the Japanese people that have funny names," said Ed.

"Hey, yeah," said Eddy. "All we have to do is get our timing right, and we'll be up there in no time!"

"If you say so. . ." said Jack.

And so the Pumpkin King and the two Stouthearted Eds began to climb up the spiral path. Luckily, as they ascended, there were little rooms in the walls that they could hide in so they wouldn't get crushed by the many giant boulders that were suddenly barreling their way. And Eddy was right. Before they, or Shock, knew it, they had reached the top.

When Shock spotted the boys, she immediately slumped in defeat. She started waving her little broomstick, which had a white flag on it.

"I'm sorry, Jack," she said in her sweetest voice. "I was only playing a trick . . . "

"Sheesh . . . " Eddy mumbled. "Some trick . . . "

The three continued to walk, only to find that Shock was following them.

Suddenly, Jack turned around so he was facing Shock. "Stop helping Oogie," he said to her. "We mean it!"

Shock put one arm behind her back. "Okay . . . " she said.

Ed's eyes narrowed.

"That elevator leads up to the top floor," said Jack. "Come on!"

Ed followed Jack onto the elevator. Eddy, on the other hand, started to follow Shock!

"Eddy, let it go," Jack said in a commanding voice.

Now it was Eddy's turn to slump. "You're lucky Double D's in trouble, squirt," he said to Shock. "But just you wait. I'll get my candy back yet!"

And with that, he joined Jack and Ed in the elevator. Jack pushed a button, and it began to go up.

But little did they know that it wasn't just the doctor that would be waiting for them . . .


	11. Changing Brains

Soon enough, the elevator reached the top floor of the lab. The doctor seemed to be waiting for the boys. He was waiting at the other side of the room, his back turned to them.

"Dr. Finkelstein!" Jack said, stepping out of the elevator. "Why are you doing this?"

Eddy ran out in front of Jack. "Where's Double D, ya quack?" he asked the Doctor.

Jack looked at Eddy, then back at the Doctor. "Okay, I admit, the Doctor does look a _little _like a duck, but . . . "

"Ah, Jack," the Doctor said suddenly. "I see you managed to make it here." He wheeled his chair around so he was facing the boys. "You've been busy, Jack. I think it's time for you to rest." He then flipped the top part of his head open so he could poke his brain. But what was actually inside wasn't what Ed, Eddy, or Jack anticipated . . .

"EWWWW!" Eddy yelled when he saw the big green . . . thing inside Dr. Finkelstein's head. "What _is _that?"

Jack gasped. "Oogie switched his brain!"

"It is so gross!" said Ed. "Can I touch it next?"

Dr. Finkelstein wheeled his chair to the center of the room. "Shall we begin?" he sneered. "I think you'll like this device. I made it especially for YOU!"

Suddenly, the machine the Doctor seemed to be controlling came alive. The lasers on it took aim. Four giant metal claws lowered.

Jack and Eddy were wide-eyed. Ed was too, but for a different reason.

"COOL!" the Stouthearted Ed with the one eyebrow shouted.

Eddy looked at his friend. "Tell me, Ed," he said. "What's it like to have buttered toast for a brain?"

"Ed? Eddy? Is that you?"

Ed and Eddy started looking around the room. They knew _that _voice for sure.

"DOUBLE D!" Ed yelled, pointing to one of the Doctor's desks.

Sure enough, there was Double D, hiding behind the desk.

"There you are, Sockhead!" said Eddy. "Get out here, will ya? You gotta help us with the doc!"

"I can't, Eddy!" said Double D.

"What do you mean you can't?" asked Eddy.

"Because I'm not decent, that's why!" said Double D.

"What?" asked Eddy.

"Why's the Doctor wearing Double D's hat?" Ed asked suddenly.

Eddy looked back at the Doctor. Ed was right. Sitting atop the Doctor's bald head was Double D's sock hat.

"You couldn't leave just because the doc stole your stupid hat?" Eddy asked Double D in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Jack was eyeing something else. Next to the desk Double D was hiding behind, there was a tray with the Doctor's real brain on it.

"We have to switch the Doctor's real brain back to save him," said Jack. "Let's see . . . if we open his head from behind . . . then get in front of him . . . and throw his real brain in . . . Yes! That should work!"

"Okay, we've got that part figured out," said Eddy. "But how do we get close enough to pull the switcheroo?"

"With free lunch from Miss Sally, Eddy MaGee!" said Ed.

"Ed, what the heck are you . . . " Eddy began, turning to his friend. "Huh?"

Ed was still holding Sally's soup.

"Wait a minute!" said Jack. "That's right! We have the Sleeping Soup that Sally made!"

"Okay," said Eddy. "Now we just have to . . . "

"Here's some soup for you, Doctor," said Ed. Jack and Eddy didn't know it, but Ed had simply walked straight up to the Doctor and gave him the soup. "May it serve you well! Here ya go."

Surprisingly, the Doctor ate the whole thing. And just like that, he slumped over in his wheelchair.

"Wow," said Eddy. "That's fast."

"Now's our chance!" said Jack. "Open his head up, Ed!"

"Can do," said Ed. He began to carefully open the Doctor's head up. . .

But unfortunately, the soup apparently wasn't strong enough, because the Doctor awoke with a start. Ed jumped and ran back to Eddy and Jack.

"Ed, you dolt," Eddy growled.

Dr. Finkelstein started the machine up again.

"Oh, I do fear that he means business, gentlemen!" Double D called from his hiding spot. "Please be careful. And for the love of humanity, get my hat back!"

Ed, Eddy, and Jack readied their weapons. Dr. Finkelstein began his relentless attack.

Dr. Finkelstein: **_This town has changed, my boy  
Since you've been away!  
Without a Pumpkin King  
It's Oogie Boogie's way! _**

Jack: **_Doctor, please!  
Oh, can't you see you're wrong?_**

Dr. Finkelstein: **_You were the king  
But now you're nothing but prey!  
Oogie Boogie is back  
And he's planning to stay!_**

Jack: **_It's a crazy web you're weaving!  
Oogie Boogie will soon be leaving! _**

**_Doctor, please!  
It's not too late! _**

Dr. Finkelstein: **_All my machines will seal your fate! _**

My lasers will slice you!  
My knives will cut deep!  
And when it's all over  
Sally, she will weep!

The days of your good-natured  
Mayhem are through!  
I'll tear up this town!  
And I'm starting with you!

"Geez . . . " Eddy mumbled. He was appalled by the Doctor's words.

"We'll rescue you, Doctor!" said Jack.

"Never, Jack!" said the Doctor.

Dr. Finkelstein: **_Well, now, my boy  
It seems you've lost your crown!  
In a few mere moments  
You'll be six feet in the ground!_**

Jack: **_Stop at once!  
Can't you see this is absurd? _**

Dr. Finkelstein: **_No more tricks!  
Your friends are now your foes!  
And now this dance is  
Nearing its close_**

Jack: **_All these people that you're hurting  
Oh, good doctor, it's disconcerting _**

Doctor, please!  
Your thinking is all wrong!

Dr. Finkelstein: **_In a moment finally you'll be gone!_**

Jack: **_Your intentions are evil!  
_**Eddy: **_Your thoughts are all bad!  
_**Ed: **_The "thing" that you work for  
Is no more than a cad!_**

Jack, Ed, Eddy: **_When finally we get that  
Foul brain out of you  
You'll see no more foes  
But friends that are true!_**

"Well, Jack," said the Doctor. "Like my inventions?"

"Heck, no!" said Eddy.

"He was talking to Jack, Eddy," said Ed.

"Doctor, you've got to control yourself!" said Jack.

Dr. Finkelstein: **_This town has changed, my boy  
Since you've been away!  
Without a Pumpkin King  
It's Oogie Boogie's way!_**

Jack: **_Doctor, please!  
Oh, can't you see you're wrong?_**

Dr. Finkelstein: **_You were the king  
But now you're nothing but prey!  
Oogie Boogie is back  
And he's planning to stay!_**

Jack: **_It's a crazy web you're weaving!  
Oogie Boogie will soon be leaving!_**

**_Doctor, please!  
It's not too late!_**

Dr. Finkelstein:**_ All my machines will seal your fate! _**

My lasers will slice you!  
My knives will cut deep!  
And when it's all over  
Sally, she will weep!

The days of your good-natured  
Mayhem are through!  
I'll tear up this town!  
And I'm starting with you!

"Just about done, Doctor," said Jack.

"Curse you, boy!" said Dr. Finkelstein.

"You're welcome!" said Ed.

Dr. Finkelstein:**_ Well, now, my boy  
It seems you've lost your crown!  
In a few mere moments  
You'll be six feet in the ground! _**

Jack: **_Stop at once!  
Can't you see this is absurd?_**

Dr. Finkelstein: **_No more tricks!  
Your friends are now your foes!  
And now this dance is  
Nearing its close _**

Jack: **_All these people that you're hurting  
Oh, good doctor, it's disconcerting _**

Doctor, please!  
Your thinking is all wrong!

Dr. Finkelstein: **_In a moment finally you'll be gone!_**

Jack: **_You shoot and attack us  
_**Eddy: **_It rolls off our backs!  
_**Ed: **_He's not your enemy  
He's the Pumpkin King, Jack!_**

Jack, Ed, Eddy: **_When this is all over  
Good friends we will be!  
You'll praise Oogie no more!  
You can take that from me!_**

"Oogie's had control over you long enough!" said Jack.

"I'm not defeated yet!" said Dr. Finkelstein.

"You'd think that, wouldn't you?" asked Eddy, a sly grin forming on his face.

"Huh?" Jack and the Doctor asked together.

"NOW, ED!" Eddy called to his friend.

Suddenly, Ed popped up behind the Doctor, holding the Doctor's real brain. "Contact!" he said, opening the Doctor's head up. He then grabbed the Oogie brain and quickly switched it. Then he slammed the Doctor's head shut and ran off with the Oogie brain.

Suddenly, the giant machine stopped. The Doctor grabbed his head and started moaning. Then he slumped over in his wheelchair again.

Eddy looked at Ed, who was busy poking the Oogie brain. "Get rid of that thing, Ed," said Eddy. "You don't know where it's been."

"Yes I do," said Ed. "It was in the Doctor's head. Want to touch it?" He held the Oogie brain in Eddy's face.

"It's twitching, Ed," said Eddy, backing away. "I said get rid of it."

Ed pouted. "Okay . . . " he said, throwing the Oogie brain into one of the nearby trash cans.

Just then, the Doctor sat up again and wheeled himself over to Jack and the two Stouthearted Eds. "I'm sorry, Jack and . . . " He looked at Ed and Eddy.

"Stouthearted Eds," Eddy finished.

"Stouthearted Eds," the Doctor repeated. "I never imagined my brain would be replaced an the town deceived . . . "

"My hat, thank you."

Nobody noticed that Double D had walked out of his hiding place and right up behind the Doctor. Double D carefully took his hat away from the Doctor.

Jack looked at Double D. "WHOA!" he said, his eyes widening.

Even Dr. Finkelstein looked a little shocked. "My goodness . . . "

"Well, I can certainly see why you didn't want to go out in public, Double D," said Jack.

Double D put his hat back on his head. "Well, although I hate to admit it, I actually have you to thank, Doctor," he said. "If you hadn't taken my hat away from me, I wouldn't have hidden and found . . . this."

Then Double D reached behind him and picked something up for the others to see. It was a giant door in the shape of a four-leaf clover.

"Doctor!" Jack exclaimed. "The St. Patrick's Day Door!"

"Indeed," said Dr. Finkelstein. "That is a Holiday Door. Hmm . . . " Suddenly, he gasped. "Jack!" he said, a sudden urgency in his voice. "What's today's date?"

"December 24," said Ed.

Double D counted on his fingers. "December 24," he concluded.

Eddy gasped.

"Oh no," said Jack, who was also suddenly worried. "It's almost Christmas!"

"I wonder what's happening with the Christmas Door?" said the Doctor.

"Considering everything else that's happened . . . probably something very, very bad!" said Double D. "Let's hope we can find it soon!"

"We need to go back to the Pumpkin Patch," said Jack. "But it won't be easy. According to Ed, Oogie's ghosts have possessed the pumpkins at the entrance, preventing anyone from entering."

"Hmm . . . " said Double D. "While we're probably able to strike the outer vessels with our weapons, they surely wouldn't be able to attack the creatures inside them, which are the _real _targets," he thought aloud. "However . . . " Suddenly, Double D's face lit up. "However, if we were to create a device that could somehow daunt the apparitions out of the protection from inside the gourds, their newly accessible state would allow all of us to beset the apparitions without any of us taking any real blight!"

Ed and Eddy just stared at Double D. What the heck did he just say?

Even Jack looked a little confused. "Uh . . . okay," he said finally, even though he had no idea what he was agreeing to.

The Doctor seemed to be the only one who understood. He gasped. "I get it!" he exclaimed. "We'll _scare _those monsters out of the pumpkins! G-give me just a moment . . . "

Then the Doctor wheeled over to one of his desks. Jack looked at him in disbelief. He had understood all that?

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place, Sockhead?" asked Eddy.

Double D sighed. "Pardon me for not speaking in your native tongue, Eddy," he said.

"Is the Doctor himself again?"

The Stouthearted Eds and Jack turned to see Sally entering the lab, holding a green present.

"Unfortunately," Eddy joked.

"He's making a device that will help us defeat Oogie's army," Jack explained.

"Jack . . . " said Sally, holding out the green present. "Do you think this will be helpful, too?"

"What's this?" Jack asked, taking the present.

Eddy smiled. "I think I know . . . " he said.

Then, with a twirl of snowflakes, Jack was dressed in a different costume.

Eddy took one look at the costume and started laughing. He had been right about what it was.

"It's Sandy's Costume!" Jack exclaimed, looking at his old red suit and long white beard.

"Ha ha!" the Doctor laughed as he wheeled himself back over to the group. "That outfit really suits you! I completed the Scare Device." And with that, he handed Jack another box which looked like another present. "If I told you what's in it though that would ruin the surprise!" the Doctor added.

"Aww . . . " said Ed.

"Hide this in your Sandy Bag and use it to stun Oogie's monsters!" said Dr. Finkelstein.


	12. Pumpkin Patch Possession

**Author's Note**: I decided to put the next two chapters together, for space's sake. And while I'm at it, I'm going to answer the questions my last reviewers had.

**Energy Witch**: Chapter ten was . . . awkward? In what way?

**Gijinka Renamon**: What's under Double D's hat? I'm not quite sure myself. But if it was enough to shock Dr. Finkelstein and Jack . . . OO

Anyway, on with the chapter! -**AMX**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Jack and the Stouthearted Eds had just left the Doctor's laboratory and were heading back to the Pumpkin Patch, Jack's new Sandy costume and Scare Device on hand.

"I hope that thing works," said Eddy.

"Well, the Doctor made it," said Jack. "And all of his creations are always perfect."

"Yeah, so are Double D's," said Eddy. "That is, until he and Ed break them."

"Ed and _me_?" asked Double D.

"Well, who made him that stupid costume?" Eddy asked, pointing to Ed's monster suit. "And then what do you do? You blame _me _for it, even though it was your idea in the first place!"

"All right," said Double D. "I do take responsibility for making Ed the costume, and I apologize for accusing you of thinking up the madness in the first place. But still . . . "

"There it is!" said Ed. "The patch with the pumpkins full of ghosts!"

Eddy and Double D looked up. Sure enough, there was the gate that led to the Pumpkin Patch.

"Come on," said Jack. "But be careful."

---

The Eds and Jack cautiously entered the patch.

"Where are the possessed pumpkins, Ed?" asked Double D.

"There," said Ed, pointing to three pumpkins in front of them.

Eddy looked at the pumpkins. "So what?" he asked. "They look like regular pumpkins to me."

"Looks are deceiving," said Jack.

"What made the ghosts come out, Ed?" asked Double D.

"I walked up to them," said Ed.

"Then I guess it's time to try this out," said Jack. With a wave of snowflakes, he was in his Sandy Costume.

"Prima donna," Eddy grumbled.

Jack took a Scare Device out of his Sandy Bag. He got ready to throw it. "Merry Christmas!" he sang, throwing the Scare Device right in the middle of the pumpkins. But nothing happened.

That's when Jack heard snickering. He turned and saw that Eddy was desperately trying to stifle laughter.

"What?" asked Jack.

"Dude, your voice went up, like, two octaves!" Eddy exclaimed, bursting into laughter.

"It did not!" said Jack, clearing his throat. "Did it?"

"Well, I have to admit, the tone was a bit above range . . . " said Double D.

"Jack's got a girly voice!" Ed blurted out.

Jack frowned. "Hey now . . . " he began.

SPROING!

The team turned back to the Scare Device. A giant clown head had sprung out of it without warning. And there were no more pumpkins. Just three very confused-looking ghosts.

"Sockhead was right!" exclaimed Eddy.

"As I expected," said Double D.

"Come on!" said Jack. "We've got to get rid of them before they get back into any more pumpkins!" He got out the Soul Robber and charged toward the ghosts, the Stouthearted Eds and their weapons right behind.

---

It was like this the whole way through the Pumpkin Patch. More possessed pumpkins would appear, Jack would scare them out with the Scare Device, the Eds would laugh at Jack's "girly voice," then they would smash the ghosts.

"The bridge leading to the Big Pumpkin Head is straight ahead," Jack said. The Stouthearted Eds looked off in the distance. There was a gigantic jack o' lantern. "Maybe we can get to the bottom of things there."

As the team moved on, they noticed that all of the regular pumpkins in the Pumpkin Patch had been smashed. They also found out that they weren't alone. Down the path, the team spied another Halloween Town resident. This one was bald, with very pale skin. He wore faded blue overalls, dirty yellow rubber gloves, and had and axe sticking out of his head.

Eddy looked around at the smashed pumpkins. "Wow," he said. "What a dump."

"Eddy . . . " Double D scolded as Jack walked up to the Halloween Town resident.

"Behemoth!" Jack exclaimed, looking around. "The Pumpkin Patch is a mess!"

"It's the bad'uns," said Behemoth in a deep, slow voice. "They ruin it. Break the bridge . . . "

That's when Jack saw it. The stone bridge that led to the Big Pumpkin Head had been split, preventing anyone from going over to the other side.

"The Big Pumpkin Head," Behemoth continued. "Bad'uns eat it, too. My precious pumpkins . . . "

"That must be where the main infestation is," said Jack. "Come on, boys. We'll have to . . . " But when Jack turned around, the Stouthearted Eds were gone! "Boys?"

"Come on, Lumpy!" Jack heard Eddy say. "Put some backbone into it!"

"I can't reach it, Eddy!" said Ed. "It's too far away!"

"Put him out farther, Double D!" said Eddy.

A grunt from Double D. "But Eddy, we'll fall in!" he said, looking at the rushing green water below.

Ed was trying to grab the other side of the bridge, Double D holding onto him, and Eddy holding onto Double D. Ed was just too short to reach the other side, and all three Eds were dangerously close to falling in the water.

Jack shook his head, then walked over and grabbed Eddy by his shirt collar, pulling him and the other two Eds back in. "Don't waste your energy, boys," he said. "We'll have to take the other way around. Follow me!"

So, the Eds followed Jack deeper into the patch, Behemoth waving goodbye to them.

Just then, as the boys were walking . . .

MAAAAAAOWWWWWW!

"Arrgh!" Eddy groaned, plugging his ears. "There's that stupid cat again!"

"Shhh!" said Jack.

More microphone feedback.

"_Testing . . . testing . . . one, two three . . . am I on? A-hem! Denizens of Oogie Town! Jack Skellington and the Stouthearted Eds have returned, according to the reports. Heh heh heh . . . They're enjoying our dangerous_ _Oogie Town so much, they're screaming in horror. Rejoice! This is all thanks to your efforts. Now, Barrel, my star pupil, my prodigal son, my shining star. Go out and finish what your half-witted, half-alive playmates started. Because if you don't, there's more than half a chance I'll be very, very, very . . . ANGRY! Ba ha ha ha ha ha!"_

As the feedback faded, Eddy slowly took his fingers out of his ears.

"Is he done talking?" Eddy asked.

"Yes," said Double D. "And something tells me that _this _trip isn't going to be a pleasant one, either . . . "

"Was that Oogie?" asked Ed.

"You should know, Monobrow," said Eddy. "You were possessed by the guy!"

"What?" asked Ed.

Eddy groaned.

"All right!" said Jack, stopping. "If we just continue through this area, it will lead us straight to the Big Pumpkin Head. Let's hurry!"

---

After walking a little longer, Jack and the Stouthearted Eds stopped. The path was suddenly blocked off by a giant pumpkin root. And guess who jumped out from behind it?

"Hey, Jack!" said Barrel, as Lock and Shock jumped out after him. "Want some candy?" Barrel was holding a black and orange lollipop.

"That better not be from my bag!" said Eddy.

"No thanks," said Jack, ignoring Eddy's comment. "We've had enough of your treats."

"Aw, Jack," said Lock. "We're just getting started!"

"Our biggest trick is yet to come!" said Shock.

Just then, the giant pumpkin root curled up, allowing Lock, Shock, and Barrel to continue down the path.

"You're gonna get so lost," said Barrel. "And after what we did to the Mayor's House . . . oops! Wasn't supposed to tell you that! Catch you later, Jack!"

Eddy tried to chase after them, but the pumpkin root uncurled back over the path, stopping him.

"This is no longer funny," said Double D.

"As if it ever was to begin with!" said Eddy. "We gotta get rid of this root!"

"There must be something that activates it . . . " said Jack.

Just then, the pumpkin root curled up again.

"Cool!" said Ed.

Eddy, Double D, and Jack looked over at Ed. He was standing next to a scarecrow.

"Ed, how did you do that?" asked Double D.

"I hit it," said Ed. "Neat, huh?"

"That must unblock the path!" said Jack. "Come on! We have to move!"

"What do you think Barrel meant when he said, "You're gonna get so lost"?" asked Double D.

Jack looked down the path. "I think I know . . . " he said, clutching his skull.

The Stouthearted Eds looked down the path, too. Then they saw what Jack meant. The path led right into a maze!

"Aw,_ man_," Eddy groaned. "Now that's _exactly _what we need right now."

"Okay, no big deal," said Jack. "We just need to be careful, and move slowly . . . "

As the boys stepped deeper into the maze, they got another surprise. More enemies popped up from the ground.

"Screw that!" Eddy shouted. "Ed, find the stupid scarecrows and hit them so we can move on!"

"Can do, Eddy!" said Ed.

He ran ahead as the others fought the enemies, finding scarecrows and hitting them, thus unblocking the path for the others, who ran like heck through the monsters.

At the end of the maze, all three Stouthearted Eds were once again panting heavily. Even Jack looked a little frazzled. But at least they had reached their goal.

"Another bridge!" said Double D, pointing.

"That's where the Big Pumpkin Head is!" said Jack. "Hurry!"

"Hurry, hurry, hurry," said Eddy as they ran over the bridge. "What the heck happened to walking?"


	13. Peril in the Pumpkin Head

**Author's Note**: Well, here's another combined chapter, and I'm answering reviews again!

**Energy Witch**: Oh, awkward like _that_. Actually, this is a reference to the episode _Thick as an Ed_, in which the Eds attempt to catch frogs in basically the same way they did in the chapter (only they didn't succeed in the episode). Anyway, I'm sorry if that caused any confusion.

On with the chapter!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Man, those spooks did a number on this place, didn't they?" asked Eddy.

The team was looking at the area around the Big Pumpkin Head. There were even more smashed pumpkins here than there were in the maze.

Double D looked up at the Big Pumpkin Head and saw ghosts swirling around it.

"They're attacking from within!" Double D exclaimed.

Jack noticed a piece of root jutting out from the Pumpkin Head. "We'd better climb up and have a look," he said.

Jack lashed out the Soul Robber and grabbed the root, pulling himself up. The Stouthearted Eds followed suit with Eddy's Yo-Yo Mace.

"What next?" Eddy asked when all four of them were on the top of the massive pumpkin.

"There," said Ed, pointing to a hole that led inside.

"This must be where all the chaos is brewing," said Jack. "Let's go!"

And with that, Jack jumped into the hole.

Double D peered in. "But it looks so unsanitary . . . " he said.

"Yeah, what else is new?" asked Eddy.

"Come on, Double D," said Ed, picking his friend up and jumping in, followed by Eddy.

Once inside, even Eddy had to admit that the inside was a little gross.

"This looks just like the pumpkins back home before we lobotomize them," he joked.

"And we don't even use anesthesia!" said Ed.

"Ha ha ha," said Double D, using all his strength to keep from gagging. "Can we please move on? Where's the troublemaker?"

"Right over there," said Jack, pointing.

Sure enough, on the other side of the room was Barrel, chowing down on a small pumpkin, along with a few skeletons.

Suddenly, Barrel heard a noise behind him. He turned around . . . and saw four very familiar pairs of eyes glaring down at him.

"_What?_" Barrel asked in disbelief. "You made it through my maze?"

"Now, Barrel," said Jack. "It's time we taught you a lesson."

"And get my candy back!" Eddy declared.

Double D and Ed looked at their friend.

"What?" asked Eddy. "I mean, besides the whole "teaching him a lesson" thing . . . "

But before Eddy could finish, the whole room became infested with more skeletons. Barrel started hopping around the room, too.

Eddy groaned.

"GET THE KIDNAPPER OF SANTA!" Ed yelled, charging.

"Ed. . ." Double D groaned. "Curse his spontaneous acts . . . "

It took a little longer for the Stouthearted Eds and Jack to rid the room of skeletons, just because there were so many. And the fact that Barrel was hopping around and showering the group with pellets from his slingshot wasn't helping, either. But of course, that didn't stop Ed. He just kept on charging, letting the pellets bounce off his Bony Helmet.

Then, before anyone knew what was happening, Ed charged straight into Barrel and rammed him into the wall. The skeletons disappeared.

"EDWARD!" Double D scolded.

Ed stood up, a worried look suddenly on his face. "Yes, Mommy?" he asked nervously.

"You were supposed to teach the kid a lesson," said Eddy. "That doesn't mean drive him into the wall!"

"It wasn't me, Eddy!" said Ed. "Honest and for truly!"

"Ah well, it can't be helped," said Eddy, shrugging. "Start looking for my candy!"

"Oh, Eddy . . . " Double D mumbled.

Ed had only taken a few steps away from a dazed Barrel when he had found something. "Ooh! Ooh!" he said, picking the object up.

"You find it, Ed?" Eddy asked excitedly.

But instead of Eddy's bag of candy, Ed was holding up a door in the shape of a turkey.

"Oh," said Eddy, disappointed. "It's just the Turkey Day Door."

"Turkeys are practically chickens," said Ed, smiling. Then he saw something else on the floor. It was a small key, lying right next to Barrel. Ed picked that up, too.

Then Jack walked over to Barrel and kneeled down to his level. "Barrel," he said calmly. "Pranks are one thing, but real danger is _not _a good idea."

Barrel stood up, an ashamed look on his face. "I'm sorry, Jack . . . " he said sweetly.

"Now, no more serving Oogie," Jack said as the Stouthearted Eds walked over with the Thanksgiving Door and the key.

"Okay, Jack," said Barrel.

Then, without another word, Jack walked over to the Big Pumpkin Head's main exit, which had been unblocked when the skeletons attacked.

The Stouthearted Eds followed the Pumpkin King out, but as Ed walked, he turned around just in time to see Barrel put his arm behind his back . . .

---

"So, what have we got so far?" Jack asked as they reentered Halloween Town from the Pumpkin Patch.

"Well, the Pumpkin Patch is okay now," said Double D. "And we've found four Holiday Doors, counting the Thanksgiving Door we've just acquired . . . "

"So, where to next?" asked Eddy.

"We should probably go and make sure the Residential Area is okay," said Jack. "The gate that leads to it is behind the Town Hall."

Jack led the Eds to the gate, but when he tried to open it, it wouldn't budge.

"Darn!" said Jack. "Locked!"

"Big surprise . . . " said Eddy.

"I suppose we'll have to find another key," said Double D.

"Yeah," said Ed. "Like this one I found back in the Big Pumpkin." He held the key up for the others to see.

Eddy smiled. "That'll do," he said, snatching the key from Ed. He tried the lock. Luckily, it worked.

"Well, that was easier than I imagined," said Double D.

---

As the team entered the Residential Area, they looked around. There didn't seem to be much damage.

"Well, everything seems okay so far. . ." Jack began.

"NO BRAKES!"

Somebody was shouting in the middle of the area. The team ran toward the screaming, and found Clown, riding around on his unicycle. Only, it didn't seem like Clown was controlling it . . .

"SOMEBODY STOP ME!" he begged as he swerved around the town.

Double D looked over and saw that the Tall Witch was watching all the commotion as well.

"What on earth happened?" asked Double D.

"I was on my way home to get more supplies," the Tall Witch explained. "But then I heard screaming and found Clown riding around. It seems those Oogie Baddies inserted a motor in his unicycle and he can't stop it."

"My turn!" Ed yelled, running toward Clown.

"Well, how the heck do we stop him?" asked Eddy.

"It seems the only way to stop it is to remove the motor, and even my spells can't do that," said the Tall Witch. "Maybe Jack has something in his bag of tricks?"

"Perhaps a good shock would stop the unicycle," suggested Double D.

"It's worth a try," said Jack, putting on his Sandy Costume.

He threw some Scare Devices out in front of Clown. Double D was right; the unicycle did stop, but only for a split second. It would just start right back up again.

Eddy watched as Jack tried this tactic a few more times. "Well," he said after a while. "It's obvious that _that's _not working."

"Hmm . . . " said the Tall Witch. "I guess the only way to stop Clown is to use a tool to remove the motor by hand. I wonder where one could find such a tool?"

Double D's face lit up. "I know!" he said. "Follow me, gentlemen! I think I know just the person."

"Why does that not surprise me?" asked Eddy. "Ed! Come on!"

Ed was still chasing Clown around. He skidded to a stop. "Aww . . . "

---

"Why are we back at the Doc's house?" asked Eddy.

"Well, if he's a scientist, he's sure to have something that will help us, right?" asked Double D.

"He's got a point," said Jack. "I have a good feeling about this too."

"I don't have any feeling at all," said Ed.

It took a while, but the team made it back up to the top of the Doctor's Lab.

"If this guy's so smart . . . " Eddy panted. ". . .why the heck doesn't he have . . . an elevator?"

"I've learned that it's best not to ask him things like that," said Jack. "The Doctor's a nice guy, but he can be on the stingy side sometimes."

"_Sometimes_?" asked Eddy.

Dr. Finkelstein turned around when he heard the boys entering. "Oh, is that you, Jack?" he asked.

Double D stepped forward. "Doctor . . . " he said. "We require the assistance of one of your contrivances."

Jack and Ed looked confused, while Eddy sighed.

"You really scare me when you talk like that, you know?" he asked Double D.

The Doctor stared for a second, then he acted like he understood. "Oh, you need a tool?" he asked. "Well, help yourself. They're right over there." He pointed to a tool box sitting on one of his desks.

Double D smiled. "Thank you, Doctor." He walked over to the box, followed by the others.

"By the way, boys . . . " the Doctor said as Double D rooted through the box, looking for the right tool. "Have you seen Sally? That woman is _always _sneaking out without permission."

"Gosh, I wonder why?" asked Eddy.

"_Eddy_ . . . " said Double D. "We'll say something to her the next time we see her." At that moment, he pulled out an oddly-shaped tool. "Found it!" he exclaimed. "This should help me remove that motor."

"Hey, why do _you _get to do it?" Eddy asked as they left the lab.

"Because you don't even know the proper use of a turkey baster," said Double D.

"You mean those Canadian squirt guns Eddy was telling me about?" asked Jack.

Double D rolled his eyes. "Jack, not you too . . . "

"Me three!" said Ed.

---

Jack and the Stouthearted Eds slowly walked back to where Clown was.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Eddy.

"Jack shocks the unicycle and I remove the motor," said Double D. "Plain and simple."

"Okay . . . " said Jack.

Jack put his Sandy Costume on again and threw another Scare Device. Clown's unicycle stopped right in front of it. Double D then lunged in with the Tool and worked on the motor.

"Hmm . . . this should work," he said. Then, just like that, the motor fell out. "Yes!" Double D said triumphantly.

Clown panted. "At last . . . " he said. "I've finally stopped! Whoa . . . my eyes are spinning . . . Ugh!"

Double D and Eddy had to look away as Clown gagged, but Ed, for some strange reason, didn't.

"Are you all right, Clown?" asked Jack.

"Yeah," said Clown. "Thanks to you guys. But I hope those Vampire Brothers up the street are okay. I saw some of Oogie's monsters headed that way when my cycle went psycho."

"_Vampire _Brothers?" asked Double D.

"Hey, didn't those brats say something about the Mayor's house?" asked Eddy.

"I hope they're okay, too," said Jack. "But that gate over there looks locked, so we can't go through."

"No problem!" said Clown. "There's a secret button on the top of my house. I'll open the gate for you, and their houses are on the other side."

"Not much of a secret anymore," said Eddy as Clown wheeled away on his unicycle.

"Eddy, forget that!" said Double D. He glanced worriedly up the street. "I fear that we have much more serious things to worry about . . . "


	14. The Vampire Brothers

"So, Jack . . . " Double D said as the team headed for the Vampire Brothers' house. "These Vampires . . . they don't . . . you know . . . "

"Boys, relax," said Jack. "They're not dangerous. They just like scaring people, just like everyone else in Halloween Town."

"Would it make any difference if I said I was allergic to Vampires?" asked Eddy.

"Eddy, you were around them last year, and I didn't see you have any allergic reactions," said Jack. "And besides, you're _dressed up _like one!"

"Well, I'm allergic to _those_ Vampires, okay?" asked Eddy. "And my 'reaction' to them is _blood_, okay? I'm allergic to being _wounded_."

"Aw, come on, guys!" said Ed. "Vampires are cool!"

"Ed, you think chickens are cool," said Eddy.

"Here's their house," said Jack, pointing to the giant mansion in front of them. "I hope they're okay."

"Yeah . . . " said Eddy uncertainly.

The team entered the mansion.

"Hello?" Jack called out. "Anyone home?"

But there was no one there.

"Four empty coffins," said Double D, looking at them. "But where are the Vampires?"

"Hey, another note!" said Ed. He walked over to the small table and picked up a small piece of paper. "You read it, Double D," he said, holding it out.

But Double D was uncertain. "There's dried _blood _on it, Ed," he said.

Jack sighed and took the note from Ed.

"What's it say?" asked Eddy.

"Uh, it doesn't _say _anything, Eddy," said Ed. "You gotta read it!"

Jack had to squint because the ink was so faded. "_Oogie . . . has transformed us . . . into four . . . bats_," he read slowly. "_Find us . . . and put us . . . back in our . . . coffins._"

Eddy shuddered. "And I thought the Vampires were bad enough . . . " he said.

"Now Eddy," said Double D. "I do admit bats are a bit . . . how can I put this . . . _unique_ . . . but I suggest that we just grin and bear it for now."

"Fine," Eddy grumbled.

"Find the bats, find the bats, find the bats . . . " Ed chanted as the team went back outside.

"How the heck are we supposed to find them?" asked Eddy.

"Well, the Vampire Brother Bats don't look like normal bats," said Jack. "So they should be easy to spot."

"Like that one right there?" asked Ed, pointing.

The other three looked. Right in front of the house was a big bat flying around.

"There's one right there!" exclaimed Jack. "Good work, Ed."

"So how do we get it?" asked Double D.

"My turn!" said Ed, running toward the bat. But as soon as the bat saw Ed, he went flying in the opposite direction. "I got it!" Ed called over and over again as he ran after the persistent bat. "I got it! I got it! I got it!"

"Well, that's one down," said Eddy. "Let's go look for the rest."

"Are you sure he'll be okay?" Jack asked, looking at Ed.

"Oh, he's not going anywhere," said Double D. "I suggest we split up to look for the bats. That way, we'll get it done faster."

"Fine by me," said Eddy. "Where else would these bats be?"

"My guess is that we should search deeper into the town," said Jack. "Come on!"

---

Jack, Double D, and Eddy walked deeper into the Residential Area, and quickly learned that it wasn't much better. Swinging axes had been set up in the paths all over the place. Somehow, the trio dodged them all. Soon they got to two flights of stairs in the path; one led up and the other led down.

"Now what?" asked Double D.

"Well, since Eddy and I are the only ones who can grab onto things, we'll go up," said Jack. "Double D, you take the other path."

Double D looked down the stairs. "Down _there_?" he asked.

"That's what I said," said Jack.

"What about helping Jack out, Double D?" asked Eddy.

Double D sighed in defeat. "Curse my polite ways . . . " he mumbled as he headed down.

"So that means . . . " said Eddy.

"Only one way to go," said Jack.

"Up!" they said together.

"You know, this reminds me of the time the guys and I started Edco . . . " said Eddy as they climbed the stairs. But he stopped short when he saw what was at the top. "Whoa . . . "

Below them was a giant hole filled with the same green water from the fountain. But that wasn't the frightening part. Swimming around in it was a giant skeleton fish the size of a whale!

"Uh . . . no bats here," Eddy said quickly. "Let's go."

"Hold it," said Jack, pointing. On the other side of the gap was another one of the bats. "We can swing across it. Unless you're too scared . . . "

Eddy growled. "Hey buddy, let me get something straight to ya," he said. "Eddy is afraid of nothing!"

"If you say so," said Jack. He waited until the giant fish skeleton submerged, then lashed out the Soul Robber onto one of the overhead hooks, swinging to the other side. "Come on!" he called to Eddy.

"Uh . . . right," Eddy called back. He readied the Yo-Yo Mace and followed suit. And "Unafraid Eddy" screamed the whole time he swung across.

"Not afraid, huh?" asked Jack as Eddy landed.

"Oh funny, funny, funny," said Eddy.

"I'll take care of this bat," said Jack. "That hook there leads up to the roofs of the houses. You'll probably want to look up there."

Eddy looked at the hook. "Piece of cake," said Eddy, grabbing the hook and swinging up.

"We'll all meet back at the Vampire Brothers' house," said Jack.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," said Eddy as he walked on the roof.

For some reason, all the houses were connected with bridges, so Eddy had stable ground to walk on. He looked around. The roofs were swarming with bats, but one stuck out. This one was bigger than the others.

"Bingo," said Eddy. But as he took a step forward . . .

MAAAAAAAOWWWWWWW!

The bats scattered in different directions.

"Oh, great . . . " Eddy grumbled. As he chased the bat across the roofs, Oogie's voice once again rang throughout Halloween Town.

"_My dearly abhorred denizens of Oogie Town. Thanks to my ingenious thinking, I have decided to not only become the ruler of Oogie Town, but all the other holidays as well._ _Very soon, we'll be able to celebrate "Oogie Boogie Day" seven days every year, and I shall be the Seven Holidays King! The plans are already set. I'm off to secure the final holiday myself. After all, I have a debt to repay. Stay tuned. Ba ha ha ha ha ha!"_

As the microphone feedback faded, Eddy jumped up and snatched the right bat.

"A debt?" Eddy asked as he gently held the bat by the tip of its wings. He stood there in silence for a moment. "Right," he said. He began to head back to the Vampire Brother's house. "Gotta ask Double D what that word means."

---

Jack had just made it back to the Vampire Brothers' house with his bat. He wasn't surprised by what he saw. Ed was still running in circles, chasing the frightened bat.

"Hold still for a second, Ed," Jack called to him.

Ed froze.

With his free hand, Jack took out a Scare Device that wasn't activated yet and threw it in front of him. The curious bat stopped its frenzy and flew over to the Scare Device.

"Now try it, Ed," said Jack.

Ed quietly walked over to the bat and grabbed it just as the Scare Device popped open.

"I got it, Jack!" said Ed. "I got it!"

"You certainly did," said Jack. "Let's go put them back in their coffins."

Jack and Ed entered the Vampire Brothers' house and stood in front of the four coffins. Just then, the door opened.

"Well, it wasn't easy, but I got it," said Double D, holding his bat. He closed the door with his free hand. "I do hope Eddy's had just as much luck with . . . "

"_Please _tell me you guys heard Oogie," Eddy said, swinging the door open with a BANG!

"Unfortunately, yes," said Jack. "All the more reason to stop him."

"Hey Double D," said Eddy as he held tightly to the thrashing bat in his hands. "What's "debt" mean?"

"Well, let's see . . . " said Double D. "A debt is a returning action to someone's generosity. Returning a favor, if you will."

"Returning a favor?" asked Jack. "Who on earth would Oogie have to return a favor to?"

"I don't know, but . . . " Eddy began, but he stopped as the bat he was holding began to thrash around more violently. "Okay, this thing's making me nervous," Eddy blurted out. "Can we please get this over with?"

"My thoughts exactly," said Jack. He walked over to the first coffin with his bat. "I hope you boys are paying attention," he said. "We might get some more clues."

"Oh, we're watching . . . " said Double D.

"From way over here," said Eddy.

Jack looked behind him. All three Stouthearted Eds had let go of their bats, and were standing on the other side of the room. It wasn't that far away, but it was still a good distance.

Jack sighed, placed his bat into the fist coffin, and shut the lid. The coffin started rattling, and so did Double D's knees. The lid burst open, and up rose the first Vampire Brother.

"Ah, at last," said the Vampire Brother in his thick accent. "I am my old self."

"What happened?"asked Jack.

"My brothers and I opposed Oogie's plan," the eldest Brother explained. "We told him this wasn't the Halloween you wanted. But then he tricked us and trapped us in our bat forms."

"Then I take it your brothers are stuck as bats too?" Double D asked from the other side of the room.

"Yes," the Vampire Brother answered. "But I'll need help finding them." But as he tried to walk, he ended up stumbling. "Oh . . . my strength . . . "

"You look undead tired," said Jack, helping the Vampire Brother. "You should rest."

"_Undead_ tired?" asked Eddy. "I don't think even _I've _been that tired."

"For centuries, we've been entrusted to guarding the keys to the Mayor's House," said the Vampire Brother. "My brothers have the remaining pieces of the key." He then sank back into his coffin and shut the lid.

"Well, it looks like we need the other Vampire Brothers," said Eddy.

"Oh!" said Ed, pointing up. "There they are!"

Jack reached up and grabbed the second bat. Then he placed it in the second coffin. Like the first one, it shook and opened, revealing the second Vampire Brother.

"Here, Jack," the second Brother drawled. "Take this." He handed Jack the second key.

"Thanks," said Jack. "Rest easy now." The coffin closed.

"Well, this isn't so bad," said Double D.

"Then do you want to do the next one, Double D?" Jack asked, taking the third bat.

"No!" Double D blurted out. "Uh . . . I mean . . . I'm fine here, thank you."

Jack put the third bat in the third coffin. The third Vampire Brother appeared.

"Here, Jack," he said. "We're counting on you."

"Good night," Jack said as he took the third key. "And unpleasant dreams."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Um . . . "

"Who?"

"Huh?"

"Uh . . . "

"Ed. . ."

"Why?"

Jack looked at the three boys standing behind him.

"Uh . . . sorry," Eddy mumbled.

Jack shook his head in disbelief. "You three never cease to amaze me," he said as he put the last bat in the final coffin.

The fourth Vampire Brother appeared. "This is the last piece," he said.

"Thanks," said Jack, taking the fourth and final key.

As he did, the other three coffins opened, revealing the other three Vampire Brothers. Eddy and Double D jumped. Of course, Ed didn't.

"Thank you so much, Jack and Stouthearted Eds," said the first Vampire Brother. "Now we can tell you about Oogie's plan. He kidnapped all the other Holiday Leaders."

"He dragged the leaders here," said the second Vampire Brother. "Then he stole the Holiday Doors from the Hinterlands. Lock, Shock, and Barrel hid the doors in each area of the town so the leaders couldn't return home."

"So you're saying that the leaders of Thanksgiving, Easter, Valentines Day, and the rest of the holidays are being held prisoner somewhere in the town?" asked Double D.

"Precisely," said the third Brother. "Oogie wants to take over all the other holidays and become the Seven Holidays King."

"The Seven Holidays King?" Jack repeated. "This is intolerable!"

"Yeah!" said Eddy. He turned to Double D. "Quick!" he whispered. "What's "intolerable" mean?"

"However, unless you find the Holiday Doors and return them to the Hinterlands, you won't be able to return the Holiday Leaders, even if you find them!" said the fourth Brother. "Take back those doors and stop Oogie and his army!"


	15. The Mayor's Madhouse

"I sure hope those monsters haven't done anything to the Mayor," Jack said as he and the Stouthearted Eds left the Vampire Brothers' mansion. "He's not the best at handling things by himself."

"My question is: If the Mayor can't handle anything by himself, why's he the Mayor?" asked Double D.

"Who invited you?" asked Eddy.

---

Jack led the boys to the Mayor's House, which was located deeper in the Residential Area.

"It's the Two-Faced Mayor Guy's head!" exclaimed Ed when he saw the house.

It was true. The Mayor's House was shaped to look just like his head. Including a tower that looked like his hat!

"And I thought you had problems . . . " Eddy said to Jack.

"So where do these keys go?" asked Double D.

"I'm guessing they fit into the picture on the ground here," said Jack.

The Eds looked below them. Carved into the ground was the Mayor's happy face.

"Oh, brother . . . " said Eddy.

"Well, this shouldn't be hard to figure out," said Double D.

Jack and the Eds each took a key and found a place to put it on the giant Mayor face. It took Ed a while to figure out how to put his in, because he's Ed, but he finally got his key, which looked like a couple of the Mayor's teeth, to fit. Double D was in charge of the key that looked like the Mayor's nose. He carefully and precisely placed it in the middle of the picture. Eddy had the key that looked like the Mayor's blue eye, and Jack had his yellow eye. They placed theirs at the appropriate places near the top of the picture.

The team stepped back to admire their handiwork.

"Oh yeah," said Eddy. "_That _is fine craftsmanship right there."

"Craftsmanship?" Double D repeated. "It seems those tutoring lessons are helping after all, Eddy."

Jack walked up to the Mayor's door to open it. But just as he was about to touch the knob . . .

"Jack! Up here! Please _hellllp_!"

"Uh oh," said Eddy. "I know that whine."

Jack ran back out to the middle of the Mayor's picture.

"_Hellllp!_" the whiny voice repeated.

Jack and the Stouthearted Eds looked around in all directions to see where the voice was coming from. Ed looked up. Then he pointed.

Jack looked up too. "_What?_" He asked when he saw what Ed was pointing at.

"Aw, man. . ." Eddy moaned.

"Oh dear . . . " said Double D.

At the very top of the Mayor's house, stuck in a cage, was the Mayor, who, of course, had his white face on. "_Hellllp!_" he repeated again.

"We gotta go all the way up _there_?" asked Eddy.

"We have to if we're going to save the Mayor," said Jack. "Let's go!"

"Why?" Eddy asked as they ran into the house.

The team did not feel welcome one bit as soon as they set foot in the Mayor's house. It had been completely overrun by Oogie's monsters. Inside the house, a giant staircase much like Dr. Finkelstein's led to the top.

"Oh dear," said Double D. "Physical activity . . . "

---

The boys started up the stairs, fighting all the monsters in their paths. Jack, Ed, and Eddy were holding out fine, but they hadn't even gotten to the third floor when Double D became so exhausted he could barely walk.

"Boy, Double D," said Eddy. "You're _such _a jock."

Double D had to be put on Ed's back and ride up the rest of the stairs.

And as if all the monsters and Double D complaining about being tired wasn't bad enough, once in a while, the Mayor's whiny "_Hellllp!_" could be heard in the background, and this just made everything even more irritating.

"Okay, OKAY!" Eddy finally yelled up at the Mayor as he swung at enemies. "Keep your political pants on!" Then he mumbled under his breath, "Man, he's worse than Sockhead over there . . . "

And throughout the whole thing, Jack was somehow able to keep cool, despite all the noise happening around him.

---

After what seemed like forever, Jack and the Stouthearted Eds finally got to where the Mayor was.

"Mayor!" exclaimed Jack. "Are you okay?"

"Jack!" said the Mayor. "Oh, you don't know how happy I am to see your skull. I thought I'd be stuck here forever!"

"Yeah, so did we . . . " said Eddy.

Ed took Double D off his back and lowered the cage, letting the Mayor out.

"Do you know where the Holiday Door hidden in this Residential Area is?" Double D asked as he stood up.

"I saw some of Oogie's goons up on my roof," said the Mayor, switching to his happy face. "I wouldn't be surprised if they had it with them."

"You'd better climb down from here and evacuate to somewhere safe," said Jack.

The Mayor looked down and switched to his sad face for about a second, then switched back to his happy face. "Thank you Jack." He turned to the Stouthearted Eds. "And you too, boys. Good luck!" He then began to walk back down the long staircase.

Jack and the Eds had to climb one more set of stairs to reach the Mayor's roof. But as they began to walk, they heard the citizens of Halloween Town below them begin to sing.

Citizens: **_It's time  
It's time _**

Take our town back  
Take our town back

Mayor: **_Take our town back  
Take our town back  
We can win _**

Witches and Citizens: **_We were deceived and  
Now it's time to set things right!  
We'll see Oogie fall! _**

Of course, the Stouthearted Eds couldn't help but join in.

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_Take the town back!  
Take the town back!  
Take the town back! _**

Witches and Citizens: **_Time to work hard everyone  
On the job till it is done  
Then we'll get back to creepy fun  
It's time to battle_**

Vampires and Citizens: **_Take our town back!  
Take our town back!  
Just like you, we'll have our dear place  
Now that they are on the case _**

Sally: **_We were deceived _**

Ed:**_ You were all deceived!_**

Ed Edd n Eddy, Citizens:**_ All together, that and this, with all our tricks  
We'll make things as they were _**

Jack!

All eyes turned to Jack. And he didn't look happy.

Jack: **_I don't believe what has happened here  
Our town, our own, our Halloween . . .  
_**_**YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!**_

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_AAAAAAAAAAAH!_**

Ed Edd n Eddy, Citizens: **_Hurry now!  
Hurry now! _**

Take our town back!  
Take our town back!  
La, la, la  
It has begun, we cannot wait  
So be on guard and concentrate  
'Cause when the full moon starts to climb  
We'll all sing out!

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_Take the town back!_**

Jack, Ed Edd n Eddy: **_Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha . . . _**


	16. Rooftop Rumble

**Author's note**: I couldn't wait to post this chapter, so as a special treat to all you fans, I'm posting it now! Enjoy! ;)- **AMX**

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack, Ed, Double D, and Eddy had just reached the roof of the Mayor's house. But they hadn't taken two steps onto the roof when they saw that three certain somebodies were waiting for them. Can you guess who they were?

"Well, well," said Jack, clutching his skull. "If it isn't the three little pranksters again."

"Figures . . . " grumbled Double D.

"At least Eddy can get his candy back now," said Ed.

Lock, Shock, and Barrel, who were on the other side of the roof in their walking bathtub, snickered.

"You're not still working for Oogie, are you?" asked Jack.

"Dude, do you _really _have to ask?" asked Eddy.

"We're not working," said Lock. "We're playing."

"And winning," added Shock.

"Another round, boys?" asked Barrel.

"As if you had a choice!" all three brats said together.

Jack stood his ground. He was not amused. "It's time you three learned all games must come to an end," he said.

"Especially this one!" added Double D.

Eddy looked at Jack. For some reason, Jack was covering his face. "Huh?" he asked.

Suddenly, Jack popped his head up. And his face wasn't so innocent-looking anymore.

"HAAAAAAAAAAAH!"

Of course, the Stouthearted Eds jumped, but the three brats in a tub didn't seem that intimidated. They began to taunt the boys.

"Over here!" "This way! This way!" "Ha!"

Eddy growled. "I have had it with the mouths on those brats!" he said, pure annoyance in his voice. "I say we take 'em down!" He took out his Yo-Yo Mace and walked the dog.

"For once, I'm in complete agreement with you, Eddy," said Double D, readying his Death Rattle.

"HIT 'EM HARD!" Ed yelled, bending over, ready to charge.

Jack didn't say anything. He simply readied his Soul Robber.

Then the battle began. The walking bathtub began to run across the roof. And the three brats in the tub began to sing.

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_Laa, la, la, la, la, laa!  
La, la, la, la, laa!  
Laa, la, la, la, la, laa!  
La, la, la, la, laa! _**

Hail to Mister Oogie!  
Jack will never win!  
When you find our booby traps  
They will do you in!

Shock: **_First we brought the Master back  
To take this town away from Jack!  
We knew he'd fight to set things right  
So we got bad guys who attack!_**

Ed: **_Stop! We've had enough of you!  
Your punishment is overdue!  
You've instigated chaos here  
And turned this town onto its ear! _**

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_Hail to Mister Oogie!  
Put Jack to the test!  
Keep him guessing all the time  
Never let him rest! _**

Barrel: **_Then Mister Oogie Boogie Man_**

Shock: **_Can take the whole town over then! _**

Lock: **_He'll be so pleased, I do declare! _**

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_The whole world should beware!  
Wheee! _**

"We'll get you this time!" said Shock.

"You're in big, big trouble!" said Jack.

"This calls for extreme measures," said Double D.

Lock: **_Now that Oogie is the king  
We get away with everything!  
You cannot scold us for our pranks!  
The new King Oogie, let's give thanks!_**

Edd: **_Don't be foolish! Think now  
All this danger isn't fun and games!  
When this town is back to normal  
Do you really want the blame?_**

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_Hail to Mister Oogie!  
This is so much fun!  
We make mischief day and night  
Our work is never done!_**

Jack, Eddy: **_If we told you once, we told you twice  
To straighten out your act!  
You'll never get away with this  
And that, you brats, is fact!_**

Jack: **_I've had enough of this disgrace!  
So take me to the hidden place!  
Where my friends sit locked in a cage!  
Or you will face my rage!_**

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_Wheee! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha . . . _**

"You can't win this time, Jack!" said Barrel.

"You kids are in big trouble," said Jack.

"Give me back my candy!" said Eddy.

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_Laa, la, la, la, la, laa!  
La, la, la, la, laa!  
Laa, la, la, la, la, laa!  
La, la, la, la, laa! _**

Hail to Mister Oogie!  
Jack will never win!  
When you find our booby traps  
They will do you in!

Shock: **_First we brought the Master back  
To take this town away from Jack!  
We knew he'd fight to set things right  
So we got bad guys who attack! _**

Ed: **_Stop! We've had enough of you!  
Your punishment is overdue!  
You've instigated chaos here  
And turned this town onto its ear! _**

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_Hail to Mister Oogie!  
Put Jack to the test!  
Keep him guessing all the time  
Never let him rest! _**

Barrel: **_Then Mister Oogie Boogie Man_**

Shock: **_Can take the whole town over then! _**

Lock: **_He'll be so pleased, I do declare!_**

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_  
The whole world should beware!  
Wheee!_**

"Oogie will not be defeated!" said Lock.

"Ed will defeat the deframed creature from the Netherworld!" said Ed.

"Oddly, I couldn't have said that better myself, Ed," said Jack.

Lock: **_Now that Oogie is the king  
We get away with everything!  
You cannot scold us for our pranks!  
The new King Oogie, let's give thanks!_**

Edd: **_Don't be foolish! Think now  
All this danger isn't fun and games!  
When this town is back to normal  
Do you really want the blame?_**

Lock, Shock, Barrel: **_Hail to Mister Oogie!  
This is so much fun!  
We make mischief day and night  
Our work is never done!_**

Jack, Eddy:**_ If we told you once, we told you twice  
To straighten out your act!  
You'll never get away with this  
And that, you brats, is fact! _**

Jack: **_Trusting him's a big mistake!  
One that you don't want to make!  
He might reward you, this is true!  
By cooking you into a stew!_**

BOOM!

Jack, fittingly, delivered the finishing blow.

The walking bathtub was sent flying, but the three little brats weren't the only things that flew out of it.

Eddy gave a big grin as the Independence Day Door and his bag of candy landed at his feet.

"Yes!" said Eddy, picking up his candy. "Come to Papa!"

Ed took the Independence Day Door.

Eddy was busy staring wide-eyed at his prize when he saw his two friends staring at _him_. "What?" he asked.

"Are you going to share those?" asked Double D.

The grin disappeared from Eddy's face. Sighing, he held his bag out to Ed and Double D. They each took a handful of candy.

Jack, however, was focused on something else. He glared at the three dazed brats sitting in front of him. "Now it's time to really teach you three a lesson," he growled.

Lock, Shock, and Barrel snapped out of their daze just in time to see Jack slowly walk toward them, his face growing more and more demonic with each step. They began to quietly whimper and back away.

The Stouthearted Eds, on the other hand, were loving this.

"Oh, this is gonna be _sweet_!" said Eddy, grabbing another handful of candy. He was so excited, he almost swallowed the gum he was chewing.

Ed's monster head suddenly developed a wicked grin, and even Double D's adrenaline was pumping a little.

"Who's first?" Jack asked, his voice matching his face: terrifying beyond rational thought.

All of the sudden, Lock, Shock, and Barrel didn't look so scared. "Jack . . . " they suddenly said. "TRICK OR TREAT!"

"Huh?" Eddy asked. His jaw dropped, so the candy he was chewing almost fell out.

The three brats stood up and started to run away, to a secret button on the other side of the roof. However, Barrel tripped, so Lock and Shock were the only ones to jump up and press the button.

"What the?" asked Eddy, confused. "What'd that do?"

Just then, Jack and the Stouthearted Eds felt like they were levitating. They looked down. There was a good reason that they felt like they were levitating. There was no longer any solid ground below their feet! All four boys gave a yelp as they disappeared down the hole.

Lock, Shock, and Barrel laughed. "Looks like they really _fell _for that one!" all three of them said together.

---

Meanwhile, Jack and the Stouthearted Eds were falling down into total darkness. Of course, all four of them were yelling.

Just then, Jack saw a piece of rock jutting out from who-knows-where. But at that time, he didn't care. Just as long as he could stop falling!

"Soul Robber!" Jack shouted. The Soul Robber lashed up and grabbed the piece of rock.

Double D and Ed were falling just above Jack, so they were able to grab onto his long legs and stop falling. They both gasped for breath.

"Phew," said Jack as they dangled there. "What a day this has been." Then he noticed something. He looked down at the two boys holding onto his legs. "One . . . two . . . " The Pumpkin King began to panic. Someone was missing! "Where's Eddy?" he asked urgently.

Then Eddy's yelling came within hearing distance. Jack looked up and saw him whizzing down, one hand clutching his precious candy bag. With his free hand, Jack reached out to grab his friend . . . but to his horror, he missed.

"Grab him!" Jack yelled, the panic now visible in his voice.

Double D tried to grab Eddy as he fell, but he missed too. Ed tried to clamp down on Eddy's cape with his teeth, but, to their dismay, he missed as well.

"Mooooooommmmmmyyyyyyyy . . . " Eddy's voice echoed as he kept falling.

And all Jack, Double D, and Ed could do was watch as their friend disappeared into the darkness, his voice growing fainter and fainter until it could no longer be heard.


	17. The Grisly Gauntlet

Unable to do anything about Eddy, Jack pulled himself, along with Double D and Ed, up to a secure spot near the jut in the rocks. To his surprise, there was an opening that led to somewhere else. He cautiously went through the opening, Double D and Ed following.

---

Jack wasn't prepared to see what exactly was on the other side. But it certainly wasn't what he expected. It was a giant cavern, and streams of lava were gushing everywhere. And more importantly, the whole area was covered with Oogie's booby traps.

"What is this place?" Jack asked. However, he ended up talking to himself because Double D and Ed were too busy fussing over Eddy. Jack looked around. "Look's like there's nowhere to go but straight ahead . . . " He eyed the sword-slashing suicide kings and the swinging buzz saws. "This place is filled with Oogie's traps . . . " Finally, Jack looked at the smoldering magma flowing around him. "I don't think any of us would care to fall into that lava!"

"Sick. Sick. I think I'm gonna be sick!" said Double D. "There's no telling what happened to Eddy! But either way, at the speed he was falling, if he does reach solid ground, he's sure to suffer some serious injuries!"

"I don't like this game anymore, Double D!" cried Ed.

"Calm down, boys!" said Jack. "We'll find Eddy! It's going to be all right." He then began to walk down the path straight ahead.

"I'm surprised that you're being so calm, Jack," said Double D as he and Ed followed the Pumpkin King. "I would think that you'd be hysterical by now . . . "

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I _am _the best there is," said Jack. "I prefer to scare and not be scared."

"If you say so. . ." said Double D.

But in Jack's mind, he knew he was just bluffing. He was beginning to wonder why he really _wasn't _hysterical at the moment. He did like all three of the boys, but Eddy was definitely his favorite. Mostly because Eddy was so much like his older brother, it almost drove Jack crazy.

"_I swear to God, if anything has happened to that boy, I will never, EVER forgive myself,_" Jack caught himself thinking. But he couldn't freak out in front of Ed or Double D. This would just worry them even more. So he held it in.

---

Oogie's buzz saws and sword-swinging suicide kings made the path almost impossible to walk through. Thankfully, either the traps could be easily destroyed by Ed, or they were easy to time just right and pass through them. So it wasn't _that _much of a challenge. But throughout the trail, all three of them kept an eye out, just in case Eddy was here. But Eddy was nowhere to be seen.

Then, as they were halfway through the maze of booby traps . . .

MAAAAAAAOWWWWWWWW!

The team froze. What was Oogie going to say this time?

"_Ba ha ha ha ha! You're going to be torn to pieces, boys! Do you really think you're going to make it out of here alive? It's sooo entertaining, watching you run from my little traps down there. Ha ha ha ha!"_

The feedback ended.

"Well, _that _wasn't very helpful," said Double D.

But for some reason, Jack looked intrigued.

"Is something wrong, Jack?" asked Double D.

"You didn't hear that?" asked Jack.

"Hear what?" asked Ed.

"That groaning!" said Jack. "When Oogie was talking . . . I heard groaning in the background! I think it might have been Eddy!"

"Oogie has Eddy?" asked Double D.

"Uh oh . . . " said Ed.

"All the more reason to hurry," said Jack. "Come on!"

---

At the end of the path, there was a large entryway that led deeper into the caverns. Jack, Double D, and Ed took no hesitation in entering it.

Inside the new cavern, the team was met with quite a sight. It was a big circle of six cages, each representing one of the six holidays besides Halloween. There was also a big cage that looked like it led up in the middle of the room.

"What on earth?" asked Double D.

"The Holiday Leaders are being kept in the depths of Hades!" exclaimed Ed.

And Ed's exclamation wasn't that inaccurate. In five of the six holiday cages, there were wriggling sacks, presumably the leader of that holiday.

"I recognize this cage!" Jack said, walking over to the cage in the middle of the room. "It's part of a well in the town square! This place must be where it leads."

"Hmm . . . " said Double D, looking at the wriggling sacks in the cages. "Thanksgiving, Easter, St. Patrick's Day, Independence Day, Valentine's Day, and Jack's the Halloween Leader . . . " Double D's eyes widened. "Oh dear . . . someone's missing!"

"But who?" asked Ed.

"I think I know," said Jack, walking over to the empty holiday cage. There was a huge Christmas tree above it. "But . . . why didn't Oogie throw Sandy in this cage?"

"It's beyond me, Jack," said Double D.

Jack looked deeper into the empty cage. "Hey . . . I think we can continue through here."

"What?" asked Double D.

"How?" asked Ed.

"It's open!" said Jack, trying the cage door. He looked at the two boys behind him. "Shall we?"

"If it means getting closer to Eddy . . . " said Double D. "Yes!"

"Eddy, we're coming!" said Ed.

---

As Jack, Double D, and Ed almost ran down the new path, they soon realized something: the path was pitch black! They couldn't even tell what they were walking on. But the path kept going, so they kept running.

After what seemed like forever, the path finally opened to a new room. And the only other thing in the room was a certain walking potato sack glowing bright green from the black lights . . .

"Oogie!" Jack yelled to his foe standing in the middle of the room. "Return the Holiday Leaders to their worlds!"

"And give back Eddy!" added Ed.

Oogie just sneered. "I can assure you . . . " he said. "The leader of every holiday is right where he should be! And you're looking at him!"

"Oh, _please_," Double D said in his most sarcastic tone.

"Where are you holding Sandy?" asked Jack.

"Jaaaack . . . " Oogie drawled. "Weren't you boys listening? I said I have a debt to repay old Sandy Claws! A debt I'm going to pay back in person! Of course, I don't want you causing any trouble while I'm on my little visit. So I've hidden the Christmas Door in something quite nasty! So in the meantime, what say we have some fun?"

"_That's _never good to hear . . . " said Double D.

"The Oogie Casino is now opened!" said Oogie.

When Oogie said the word "opened," the entire room lit up, revealing the giant roulette wheel that Oogie had last year. And that wasn't all . . .

"Eddy!" yelled Ed, pointing.

Jack and Double D looked. Sure enough, up near one of the many doors in the room, there was Eddy. The only problem was that he was lying on his back, not moving. A soft groan emitted from his mouth, but that was it.

Jack growled and jumped down so he was right in front of Oogie, followed by Double D and Ed. They readied their weapons. Nobody could hurt their friend and get away with it!

"What are we gambling for, you ask?" Oogie asked, apparently not intimidated. "Oh, nothing all that valuable. Just your lives! CUE THE MUSIC!"

"Music?" Double D groaned. "Oh . . . why does there always have to be music?"

Oogie Boogie:**_ Well, well, well!  
Look what the bat dragged in!  
Jack, you made it this far?  
Oh, I'm really scared!_**

Jack: **_Oogie, we're here to finish this  
Once and for all!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_You're jokin'! You're jokin'!  
I can't believe my ears!  
You're jokin'! You gotta be!  
Best laugh I've had in years! _**

Edd: **_We hope you did amuse yourself  
With this, your little fling! _**

Ed: **_You'd better pay attention now  
'Cause he's the Pumpkin King!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_You think you are winning  
But that's a lot of noise!  
Just to be a sport, dear Jack  
I'll share my Oogie-toys! _**

Whoa-oh!

Ghosts: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_Whoa-oh! _**

Ghosts: **_Whoa-oh! _**

Oogie Boogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Ghosts: **_Whoa-oh! _**

Oogie Boogie: **_I'm the Oogie Boogie Man!_**

"So, you really made it this far?" asked Oogie.

"Release the Holiday Leaders!" Jack commanded again.

"And Eddy!" said Double D.

"EDDY!" said Ed.

Jack: **_The leaders of the holidays  
And Eddy must be set free!  
Release them all at once  
Or you'll have to deal with me!_**

Ed, Edd: **_And me! _**

Oogie Boogie: **_You beat my men, so what? Big deal!  
You even ran the maze!  
You still can't stop me!  
I'm the king of seven holidays! _**

**_Whoa-oh!  
_**  
Jack: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Ed, Edd: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie Boogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Jack, Ed, Edd: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Jack: **_I'm the only Pumpkin King!_**

BOOM!

One last hit from all three of the boys' weapons made Oogie fall. He was exhausted.

"You . . . you've got some nerve . . . escaping my perfect trap . . . " he panted. "However . . . the real losers are _you, _boys." Oogie suddenly stood up. "For he who has the last laugh wins!"

Suddenly, Oogie's body began to melt into the floor below him, which was the middle of the roulette wheel.

"Huh?" Ed and Double D asked together.

"What's this?" asked Jack, shocked.

Just then, something rose up from the same spot. It looked just like the Oogie shadow that had possessed Ed. "Congratulations, heroes!" said Oogie's voice. "You defeated my shadow!"

"It was a _fake_?" asked Double D.

"The real me is in Christmas Town!" said the Oogie shadow. "Bye, now!"

The Oogie shadow glowed brightly, and the whole room suddenly shook, almost as if the shadow had been a bomb.

"Ham and eggs with buttered toast!"

Jack knew that voice. He strained to see through the room, but it was hard because of all the dust that had kicked up. That's when he saw him. Eddy was now conscious, obviously in pain and clutching his head, limping across the room where the others were standing.

"EDDY!" Double D and Ed said together.

Suddenly, Eddy fell over on his back.

"Eddy!" said Jack, running up to his friend. "Are you all right? Oogie didn't do this to you, did he?"

"Nope . . . " Eddy mumbled. "Just had a sudden urge to fall down, Granddad . . . "

"_Granddad_?" asked Jack. "I'm not _that _old . . . " he added under his breath.

"Oh dear . . . " said Double D. "He seems to have experienced some head trauma from that fall . . . "

"Relax, will ya?" Eddy slurred. "I'm fine, except that I have a splitting headache the size of Arkansas . . . "

"Well, if you say so, Eddy . . . " said Double D.

"And hey, I still got my candy!" said Eddy. "And look what else I found!"

It was then that the others noticed that Eddy had been carrying something else the whole time. They gasped when Eddy held it up. It was another Holiday Door, this one shaped like an Easter egg.

"The Easter Door!" exclaimed Jack. "But . . . where's the Christmas Door?"

"Not here," Eddy mumbled. "I checked. Not here . . . "

"Now what, Jack?" asked Double D.

Jack looked behind him. The Oogie shadow had left a giant hole in the middle of the room.

"We'd better head back to the plaza," said Jack. Then without another word, he jumped right into the hole!

Ed Edd n Eddy just stared for a moment. Then all three of them shrugged and jumped into the hole, following Jack.


	18. Spiral Hill

Meanwhile, back in Halloween Town, a crowd had gathered. The Hanging Tree, the Witches, Behemoth, Corpse Kid, Clown, and even Dr. Finkelstein were in the town square, hanging around the fountain. Just then, they sensed that something was about to happen. They all gathered closer to the fountain and cautiously peeked over the edge.

Sure enough, something _did _happen. In a display similar to that on Halloween night, somebody began to rise from the fountain. And that somebody was none other than Jack Skellington! The hole he and the Stouthearted Eds had jumped into had led right to the Halloween Town fountain! Everyone standing around the fountain began to cheer and applause. However, Jack wasn't alone . . .

A few seconds after Jack appeared, all three Stouthearted Eds burst out of the fountain at once, gasping for air and spitting out the fountain water. A few of the citizens reached in to help them out.

"Could you warn a person?" Eddy asked Jack as he began to wring his cape.

"It'll take weeks to disinfect these clothes," groaned Double D. "And probably even longer to get this taste out of my mouth . . . "

"Well, you weren't supposed to _swallow _it," said Jack. "Besides, I thought the fountain water's healing properties would be good for Eddy . . . "

That's when Eddy noticed something. "Hey, my headache's gone!" he said.

"Thought so," said Jack.

"So now what?" asked Double D.

"We have to go after Oogie!" said Jack.

"But we don't even know which way he went!" said Eddy.

"And we still need to tend to the Holiday Leaders . . . " said Double D.

"Oh yeah . . . " said Jack. He thought for a minute. "Okay!" he said finally. "You guys find someone to help the other Holiday Leaders, while I ask around to find out which way Oogie went."

"I guess we can do that," said Eddy.

"You can count on us, Jack," said Double D.

"Good," said Jack. "I'll meet you boys back here." And with that, he walked off to talk to Clown.

"Okay, let's get this over with," said Eddy. "Ed, can you . . . Ed?"

Eddy and Double D looked around. Ed wasn't there.

"Not again!" groaned Double D.

Then the sound of someone clearing their throat met Eddy and Double D's ears. They turned around. Dr. Finkelstein and Behemoth were looking at the fountain.

"Did you lose someone?" asked the Doctor. He pointed up to where he and Behemoth were staring.

Double D and Eddy looked, and immediately saw that they had every right to stare. There, standing next to the monster statue that the water shot out of, was Ed. He was in a pose similar to the statue, also squirting the fountain water out of his mouth.

"It seems that boy has finally found his calling in life!" laughed Dr. Finkelstein.

"That reminds me . . . " Behemoth said slowly. "I'd better water my pumpkins . . . "

Eddy and Double D groaned. "Ed, you maniac!" said Eddy. "Get down from there!"

"And don't put that water in your mouth, Ed!" said Double D. "You don't know where it's been!"

Ed spat the last of the water out of his mouth. "Oh, it was right there, Double D," said Ed, pointing to the water in the fountain as he got down.

"Enough of that, guys!" said Eddy. "We still gotta find someone to save the other Holiday leaders!"

Double D thought for a second. Then his face lit up. "I know!" he said. Then he began to run toward the town hall.

"Geez, more running . . . " Eddy grumbled as he and Ed followed Double D.

---

The Mayor was standing up on the stage in the town hall, and was surprised to see the Stouthearted Eds walking in. "Oh, boys!" he exclaimed. "You're back!"

"Mayor, we have a favor to ask," said Double D. "It seems that Oogie's lair is underneath this town, and five Holiday Leaders are being held prisoner there!"

"_What?_" asked the Mayor.

"That's what Jack said," said Ed.

"We need to go with Jack and follow Oogie," said Double D. "While we're gone, we would like you to release them from that dungeon, and kindly escort them to somewhere safe until we can fix this mess. Then you can return each of them to their own world."

"You want _me _to rescue the Holiday Leaders?" asked the Mayor.

"It would help us out a lot," said Double D.

The Mayor grinned. "You can count on me, boys!" he said. "I won't let you or Jack down!"

---

"Wow, that was easy," said Eddy as he and the other two boys exited the town hall.

"You see how much easier things are when you ask for them, Eddy?" asked Double D.

"I suppose . . . " said Eddy. "Now, if only scams could be that easy . . . "

Jack was waiting for the boys when they got back to the fountain.

"Did you find out where Oogie was?" asked Eddy.

"Yes!" said Jack. "According to the Hanging Tree, he was headed for Spiral Hill."

"Excellent!" said Double D. "And since the Mayor's going to take care of the Holiday Leaders, we're free to go after him!"

"However . . . " said Jack. "Remember those tombstones in the cemetery that we propped back up?"

"The ones that nearly broke my back?" asked Eddy. "What about them?"

"Well, somebody knocked them over again, so the Graveyard is infested with monsters again."

"Well, that shouldn't be much of a problem, right?" asked Double D. "We'll just fight our way through it until we get to Spiral Hill."

"I'm afraid it's not that simple," said Jack. "The gate that leads to Spiral Hill is locked, and we need the key to get in. And it's hidden somewhere in the cemetery."

Eddy groaned. "When will it end?" he asked.

"Why don't we use Zero's nose again?" asked Ed.

"Why, that's a good idea, Ed!" said Double D. "While Zero sniffs out the key, we can fend off the monsters!"

"Well, what are we waiting for?" asked Eddy. "Let's get this guy and save Santa!"

And with that, the team headed out of Halloween Town and back into the Graveyard.

---

As they expected, this wasn't going to be easy. All of the tombstones _had _been knocked down, so Oogie's monsters once again had free reign of the cemetery.

"First thing's first," said Double D. "We need Zero!"

Jack walked over to Zero's grave and patted his lap two times. This time, the little ghost dog popped out without any hesitation.

"There you are, Zero!" said Jack. "We need your help to find the Spiral Hill gate key."

Zero barked happily. Then he was off like one of Ed's model rockets.

"We'll hold the fort up over here," Eddy said to Jack. "You follow Zero and get that key!"

Jack nodded, then quickly ran after his dog.

It was either coincidence or just bad luck; But either way, as soon as Jack left, the Stouthearted Eds were surrounded by an endless sea of Oogie's monsters and skeletons. They really had to work overtime on this one. And they all had their own tactics: Eddy just stood there, letting the Yo-Yo Mace zoom around and slam into its targets, Double D closed his eyes and swung his Death Rattle around in front of him, and Ed slammed into all of the monsters head-first, not caring where he ended up.

After what seemed like an eternity of doing the same old tactics, Jack came to the rescue with the Soul Robber, getting rid of the remainder of the ghosts.

"Did you get the key?" Eddy panted.

"I sure did!" said Jack, triumphantly holding up his prize. He looked at his little dog. "Thank you, Zero." Zero gave another happy bark, then flew back to his grave.

"So where's the gate that leads to Spiral Hill?" asked Double D.

"In the second half of the Graveyard," said Jack. "We have to hurry!"

"What a surprise . . . " mumbled Eddy.

---

It was the same story for the second half of the Graveyard, which seemed to have twice as many monsters than the first half. Luckily, since Jack was now there, it was a little easier to get through. Before they knew it, the team reached the locked gate that led to the famed Spiral Hill. Jack took no hesitation in unlocking it.

To the team's surprise, the area around Spiral Hill was almost eerily calm. There wasn't a monster in sight. So they just walked up to the hill, but not before noticing a strange statue next to it.

"What's that for?" asked Eddy.

"Oogie must have installed it so nobody could enter the Hinterlands from this way," said Jack.

"Look at those smaller statues," said Double D. "I think they mean something."

In front of the big statue, which was shaped like a small creature with a violin, there were four other statues. And they all had a familiar indent in each one of them. There was one shaped like a turkey, one like a pumpkin, one like a heart, and another like an Easter egg.

"What do we do?" asked Eddy.

Ed's face lit up. He ripped up a piece of the ground and held it over his head. "Boing!" he said to the others. "It's a lightbulb! Boing!"

"_Another _idea, Ed?" asked Eddy. "I think the last thing we need right now is another stupid curse . . . "

"I'm in the zone, Eddy," said Ed. He then took the Thanksgiving Holiday Door out of Jack's sack and placed it in the turkey-shaped indent. It was a perfect fit.

Double D stared for a second. "By Jove, he's got it!" he exclaimed.

"That's it!" said Jack. "We have to place the Holiday Doors in the statues for Spiral Hill to uncurl!"

"But if we have to leave the doors here, how are we gonna put them back in the Hinterlands?" asked Eddy.

Double D and Jack stopped. They hadn't thought of that.

"For once, you have a point, Eddy . . . " said Double D.

"We'll have to burn that bridge when we come to it," said Jack. "For now, we'll just have to put the remaining two doors back."

And with that, Jack took out the Halloween Holiday Door and put it in the jack o' lantern-shaped indent. Double D did the same with the Valentines Day Door, and Eddy with the Easter Door.

With all four doors in place, the statue of the creature with the violin came to life. It began to play a soft, sad tune that sounded like something from a music box, yet it seemed vaguely familiar . . .

"So, that's it?" asked Eddy.

"We should be able to head on through now," said Jack. "Come on!"

But as they began to climb up the hill, they discovered that someone was waiting for them . . .

"Hi, Miss Sally!" said Ed.

"Sally?" Double D and Eddy asked together.

And sure enough, there, standing at the top of Spiral Hill, was Sally.

"Sally," said Jack. "You shouldn't be here. It's dangerous!"

Sally looked worried. "I had to warn you," she said. "Oogie's headed for the Hinterlands." She looked forlornly down Spiral Hill. "I have a bad feeling more trouble is waiting for you down this path. . ."

"Sally . . . "Double D began, taking a step forward.

Just then, Eddy stuck his arm out, preventing Double D or Ed from getting any closer.

"Eddy?" Double D asked.

Eddy just smiled. Jack began to walk up the hill.

Jack: **_You give me strength to show you care  
I cannot fail with you so near  
I know I'd be lost without you_**

Jack and Sally: **_We'll stand together, now and forever  
And I tell you, this very troubled night  
That we will set things right_**

All three Stouthearted Eds were watery-eyed. The scene unfolding before them felt exactly like what had happened at this same exact spot last year on Christmas.

"It's okay, Sally," Jack said softly. "Nothing's going to stop us from returning Halloween Town to how it was before."

And with that, Jack began to run down Spiral Hill as it uncoiled.

"That goes for us too, Sally," said Eddy as he, Double D, and Ed followed Jack.

"You have nothing to worry about," said Double D.

"We'll hit him once for you!" said Ed.

Sally couldn't help but slightly smile as she watched the four boys disappear into the Hinterlands.


	19. The Hinterlands

Jack and the Stouthearted Eds took a good look around the Hinterlands. The lack of the real Holiday Doors was apparent, as the whole forest seemed to be seeing in terms of black and white.

"Hmm . . . " said Jack.

"No wonder this place looked so bare when we were coming in!" said Eddy. "Everything's all dull and gray!"

"We'll have to replace the Holiday Doors immediately!" said Double D.

"Yes . . . " said Jack. "And maybe we'll find a clue as to how we can replace the rest of the Doors and still have Spiral Hill functioning . . . "

"So what do we do first?" asked Ed.

"Well, we might as well make do with what we have . . . " said Double D.

"Exactly!" said Jack. "We need to put the St. Patrick's Day and Independence Day Doors back first."

"Wouldn't it be faster if we each took a door?" asked Eddy. "That way, we can get to Christmas Town faster."

"If we can find the Christmas Door . . . " said Double D.

"I don't know . . . " said Jack. "It's awfully easy to get lost in these woods . . . "

"Hey, need I remind you that we have a map?" asked Eddy, taking out his magic map. "And we got Double D here to read it. It's a cinch!"

But Jack still looked hesitant. "Okay," he said finally. "You boys find the Independence Day Portal and put the door back. But be careful. We'll meet back here, at the entrance."

"Okay!" said Eddy. "And don't worry, Jackie-boy. We're the Stouthearted Eds! We can handle a forest. Which way, Double D?"

"Well . . . " said Double D, looking at Eddy's map. "To get to the Independence Day Portal, we'll need to go . . . this way." Double D pointed down one of the paths.

"Excellent!" said Eddy. "Onward!"

And with that, Eddy started down the trail, followed by Double D and Ed.

"And if you find anything suspicious, bring it back here with you!" the Stouthearted Eds heard Jack call behind them. "It might help us out!"

"Sure thing!" Eddy called back.

---

As the Eds continued to march down the trail, they made absolutely sure that they were going the right way. But something else seemed to be bothering Eddy . . .

"Eddy, why don't you just start the song?" asked Double D.

"What?" asked Eddy.

"Eddy, don't think I hear that marching cadence echoing through the forest," said Double D. "Why don't you just sing the song and get it over with?"

"I didn't know you cared," said Eddy.

"I don't," said Double D. "It's just that you're driving me crazy with all this quiet."

"Eddy's the man!" said Ed.

"Okay, if you insist," said Eddy. He then began to sing the song that described exactly what the three Eds were.

(Sing to the tune of "Stouthearted Men.")

Eddy: **_We are the Eds  
_**_**Yes, the Stouthearted Eds  
**__**And we fight for the candy we adore**_

_**Start you with ten  
**__**Of our stouthearted scams  
**__**It's okay, we have ten thousand more, oh!**_

_**Shoulder to shoulder  
**__**And bolder and bolder  
**__**We grow as we go through the fore**_

_**Then, everything in the world  
**__**Just halts and fails our plan**_

_**But, Stouthearted Eds  
**__**Must stick together Ed to Ed!**_

Edd: **_We do have dreams  
_**_**But alas, they don't come true**_

Eddy: **_All of our schemes  
_**_**They all fail because of you**_

Ed: **_Do not fear my friends, we have spirit  
_**_**And one day that will see us through**_

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_Scams, we've expired  
_**_**Others thrown, into fire**_

Eddy: **_But the strong obey  
_**_**When a strong Ed shows them the way . . . **_

Edd: And who might that be, Eddy?

(Pause)

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_We are the Eds  
_**_**Yes, the Stouthearted Eds  
**__**And we fight for the candy we adore**_

_**Start you with ten  
**__**Of our stouthearted scams  
**__**It's okay, we have ten thousand more, oh!**_

_**Shoulder to shoulder  
**__**And bolder and bolder  
**__**We grow, as we go through the fore**_

_**Then, everything in the world  
**__**Just halts and fails our plan**_

_**But, Stouthearted Eds  
**__**Must stick together Ed to Ed!**_

---

To the Eds' surprise, by the time they were singing their little song, they had reached their destination! Sitting right in front of them was the tree that held the Independence Day Portal. However, instead of the Independence Day Door, it sported a door with none other than Oogie Boogie's face itself painted on the front.

"Wow," said Eddy. "That's a pretty picture . . . not!"

"I agree," said Double D. "Let's get rid of this atrocity, shall we?"

As the Stouthearted Eds neared the tree with the real Independence Day Door, the Oogie Door seemed to have a reaction to it. As the three boys placed the real door in, the "Oogie Door" shattered, allowing a perfect fit. The boys stepped back, admiring their handiwork.

"That's better," said Eddy.

"But now what?" asked Double D.

"Ooh! Ooh!" said Ed. "The tree's pulling a Houdini!"

"What?" Eddy and Double D asked together.

They looked at the tree. And Ed was right! The boys watched as the tree, along with the Independence Day Door, faded into nothing!

"Oh dear . . . " said Double D. "I hope it was supposed to do that."

"Who cares?" asked Eddy. "Let's just head back and see if we can find the Christmas Door!"

"All right, all right . . . " said Double D. "Please don't be so pushy, Eddy . . . "

---

The boys' trip back to the entrance was going smoothly, until . . .

"Huh?" asked Double D, looking at the map.

"What?" asked Eddy as he and Ed peered to look.

"That's odd . . . " said Double D. "Two of the paths on this map are illuminated."

And it was true. Right there on the map, two of the trails seemed to be glowing.

"What's that mean?" asked Eddy.

"Go down them we must!" said Ed.

"Well, it has caught my eye," said Double D. "They must have some significance."

"Like how we can replace the rest of the doors?" asked Eddy.

"Perhaps," said Double D. "Only one way to find out."

"So where are they?" asked Eddy.

"Um . . . " Double D studied the map. Then he turned around and pointed in front of him. "There . . . and there," he said, pointing to the two paths right behind the boys.

"Well, that was easy," said Eddy. "Let's go!"

The three boys then took the path to the left first. In the middle of the clearing was the Easter Portal, sporting an Easter Oogie Door.

"Oh!" said Double D. "Look at that!"

"Well, we found a tree, but we don't have the door!" said Eddy. "Let's get outta here . . . huh?"

The three boys turned around. Then their eyes widened. The path they had just been down was now blocked.

"What on earth . . . ?" Double D started to say.

He never got a chance to finish. All of the sudden, the three boys were surrounded by monsters.

"_Where the heck did they come from?_" Eddy asked in disbelief.

"It seems we'll have to fight our way back to the path!" said Double D.

"CHARGE!" shouted Ed.

Thankfully, the monsters weren't that tough, so it was fairly easy for the Stouthearted Eds to clear the area of the pests.

"Whoo!" said Eddy after the three boys were alone again. "We're getting good at this!"

CLUNK.

This sound got all three boys' attention. They turned back to the tree. The Easter Oogie Door had fallen out, and it was now lying on the ground in front of the tree!

"Aah!" said Ed. "We broke the tree!"

"Calm down!" said Double D. He ran up to the Oogie Door. "I think this thing could be removed in the first place."

"So what do we do with it?" asked Eddy.

"Well, I'd say this counts as 'suspicious'," said Double D. "And Jack said to bring back anything that looked suspicious."

"I guess so," said Eddy. "But let's hurry up and get back to the entrance. I don't want to be staring at that ugly face any longer than I have to."

Double D looked at the door. "Yes, I do admit that this picture is rather grotesque . . . "

"Who said I was talking about the door?" Eddy smirked.

Double D immediately got the joke. His eyes narrowed. "Now wait just a minute, mister!" he called after Eddy as Eddy ran back through the newly opened path. "We still need to investigate that other path anyway!"

And that's exactly what they did. As it turns out, the Thanksgiving Portal was right next to the Easter Portal. And it was the same procedure as last time. The pathway out of the clearing became blocked, a horde of monsters appeared, the Stouthearted Eds got rid of them, and then the Thanksgiving Oogie Door fell out of the tree and onto the ground. The Eds took this door, along with the Easter Oogie Door, back to the entrance of the Hinterlands with them.

---

The three boys were studying their newly acquired clues as they waited for Jack.

"What the heck are we supposed to do with these things?" asked Eddy.

"Can I display them in my room?" asked Ed.

"I highly doubt that's their real purpose, Ed," said Double D. "But to answer your question Eddy . . . I don't know."

"I think I do."

The Eds looked up to see Jack walking toward them. He also had two Oogie Doors, shaped like the Halloween and Valentines Day Holiday Doors.

"So what do we do with them, Jack?" asked Eddy.

"I think," said Jack, "that if we replace these "Oogie Doors" with the real Holiday Doors back at Spiral Hill, we should be able to put all the doors back in place!"

Double D snapped his fingers. "Of course!" he said.

"Let's go!" said Jack. "We still need to find the Christmas Door, too."

"Oh, yeah . . . " said Eddy as the team headed back toward Spiral Hill.

---

To make a long story short: Jack's plan worked. The Oogie Doors passed perfectly as the real Holiday Doors. Now the team could put the rest of the doors back. They were one step closer to stopping Oogie! But there was still one problem . . .

"Where do you think the Christmas Door is?" Eddy asked as the team started back toward the Hinterlands.

"Well, that Oogie shadow said he hid the door in something 'quite nasty'," said Double D. "What do you think that means?"

"I'm not sure . . . " said Jack. "But we'll need to hurry and find it if we're going to . . . "

CRASH!

Jack never got a chance to finish his statement. All of the sudden, two horrendous monsters jumped out in front of the team, causing the Stouthearted Eds to jump and Jack to take a step backward. One of the monsters looked like it was made of fire, and the other looked like it was made of ice.

"Wh-what the heck is that?" asked Eddy.

"It seems that Oogie's getting desperate . . . " said Double D.

"What do we do?" asked Ed.

"We do what we've been doing," said Jack. "We fight. Don't worry, boys. I've got an idea."

"_That's _what worries me . . . " said Eddy.

Jack lunged at the Ice Monster, changing into his Pumpkin King costume in mid-air. When his feet hit the ground, a huge fireball spewed out of Jack's mouth, crashing into the Ice Monster and sending him crashing into the ground.

"Wow . . . " said Eddy.

"Even though they look fierce, they crumble when put in contact with their opposite element . . . " observed Double D.

Then it was the Fire Monster's turn. Jack changed into Santa Jack and threw a present at the Monster. But this time, instead of a clown head, what looked like a small blizzard exploded from the box, freezing the Fire Monster.

"He won't stay immobile for long!" said Jack. "Start hammering him!"

The Stouthearted Eds quickly got out their weapons and slammed all three of them at once into the Fire Monster. This, along with the shock from the cold, sent him into submission. He crashed to the ground next to the Ice Monster.

"That was some fire and ice frenzy!" said Ed.

Suddenly, both of the monsters began to roar in pain. Then they began to glow a bright light. It looked a lot like the bright light from Oogie's Manor. This time, all four boys covered their eyes. When the light finally dimmed, there wasn't a trace left of either of the monsters.

Eddy looked up at Spiral Hill and gasped. "Hey, look!" he said, running up to the top of the hill.

"What?" asked Double D. "I don't see anything . . . "

Then Eddy picked something up off the ground and held it up for the others to see.

". . .Except exactly what we're looking for!" finished Double D, his face breaking into a big grin.

On the top of Spiral Hill, Eddy was proudly displaying the Christmas Holiday Door.

Jack, Double D, and Ed joined Eddy at the top of the Hill.

"Now we have all the Holiday Doors," said Jack. "We've got to hurry to Christmas Town!"

And with that, he headed back to the Hinterlands, with the Stouthearted Eds sprinting behind them.

---

Once they got back to the Hinterlands, the team thought up a plan: they would each take a Holiday Door, put it back, then meet in the center of the woods when they were done so they could put the Christmas Door back. So that's what they did. Jack took the Halloween Door, Double D took the Valentine's Day Door, Ed took the Thanksgiving Door, and Eddy took the Easter Door.

It took a while, but all three Eds got their doors back to the right trees. They then wandered around for a while before running into each other again. Then Double D led them to the center of the woods, where Jack was waiting for them with the Christmas Door.

The Christmas Portal was in a circle of Holiday Portals, each containing a Holiday Door. There was only one thing left to do . . .

"Only one more door to put back," said Eddy.

"Jack, would you do the honors?" asked Double D.

Jack then very carefully placed the Christmas Door back in place, completing the circle of Holiday Trees.

The boys were gazing at their handiwork when all the sudden, the Christmas Door opened. Then nothing happened.

"Hey," said Eddy, "are any of you feeling . . . "

"Deja vu?" asked Double D.

"Yeah, that," said Eddy.

Suddenly, a strong gust of wind blew through the area, sending all four boys straight down the Christmas Portal. In a fashion similar to last year's event, all four of them found themselves falling deeper and deeper into the tree . . .


	20. Saving Sandy

Back in Halloween Town, the Mayor had found the entrance to Oogie's Lair. He was down with the Caged Kings. His two faces repeatedly rotated as he went from cage to cage, unlocking the doors. He seemed very pleased with himself when he finally got the fifth and final cage open.

"Jack!" the Mayor called out into the darkness. "I rescued all the Holiday Leaders!"

---

However, things didn't look so good on Jack and the Stouthearted Eds' side. They were just entering Christmas Town, and it was apparent that Oogie had barged through the area. Smoke filled the air, and all the elves in the area were busy putting everything back together in time for Christmas, which was now hours away. The team watched as the elves finished fixing the giant Christmas tree in the center of the town. But everything else was a wreck.

"Goodness gracious!" exclaimed Double D.

"Wow," said Eddy. "What a dump."

"We have to find Sandy!" exclaimed Jack.

"And Santa!" added Ed.

---

The team quickly made their way through town until they reached a tunnel that led to Santa's workshop. Hopefully they weren't too late!

When the team emerged from the other side, two elves were there to greet them. One was dressed in green, the other in red.

"Hello, fellow elves!" said Ed.

But before anyone could say anything else, they were interrupted by a very unwelcome voice.

"Ho, ho, ha ha ha ha ha! Merry Christmas, Jack!"

The team winced. This was definitely not good! They looked, and sure enough, the _real _Oogie Boogie was proudly sitting in Santa's sleigh, laughing hysterically.

"What's Santa doing up there?" the green elf suddenly asked, pointing up.

"What?" asked Eddy.

The four looked up and froze. Hanging high above the ground by a rope and a hook was Santa Claus. And he didn't look too happy.

"Put me down this instant!" the not-so-jolly elf yelled.

"SANDY!" yelled Jack.

"SANTA!" yelled Ed. "I'm not in my happy place, guys!" He then began to run around in a panicked circle.

"WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON HERE?" Eddy shouted.

"Oh dear!" said Double D. "Look! From the tunnel!"

The team (minus Ed) looked over at the train tunnel. It was definitely a train of Oogie's, but that's not what they were worried about. The rope holding Santa was stretched out across the tracks, and there was a knife on the front of the Oogie train headed straight for it!

"_What?_" Eddy yelled in exaggeration. "Aw, come _on_!"

"Ho ho ha ha ha!" Oogie bellowed from his seat in Santa's sleigh. "Now then, Jack, Sandy, what are you two gonna do?" He laughed some more. "This'll be fun to watch! It's _payback time_!"

"We gotta get him down!" said the red elf. "But how?"

"Double D?" asked Eddy, looking expectantly at his friend.

"Oh, let_ me _solve all our problems," said Double D. He quickly looked around, desperate for an idea. Then something clicked. There were multiple train tracks weaving through the area, each with a lever to change the train's direction.

"Okay, I got it!" the brainy Stouthearted Ed exclaimed. "Eddy and I will get Santa down safely. Meanwhile, Jack, you and Ed will change the direction of the tracks to buy us some time, then stop that train!"

"Got it!" said Jack, readying the Soul Robber.

"ED!" Eddy called back to his friend. "You and Jack are gonna ram the stupid train!"

Ed stopped running in a circle and started running straight for the train. "Happy place, happy place, happy place . . . " he sang as he ran.

The team quickly went to work. Double D and Eddy began to furiously work with the rope holding Santa, while Jack and Ed changed the direction of the tracks while pummeling the train. And while they worked, the team found themselves singing. But it was certainly different from the song they sang during their last visit to Christmas Town . . .

Jack: **_Oh no! Oh no!  
_**Edd:**_ There's trouble everywhere!  
_**Eddy:**_ Oh no!  
_**Ed:**_ There's smoke clouds in the air!  
_**

Jack:**_ Oh no!  
I can't believe my eyes  
We have to help them  
Hurry Jack, they wouldn't dare! Oh no! _**

Eddy:**_ Oh no! Oh no!  
There's something very wrong!  
_**Ed:**_ Oh no!  
_**Edd:**_ These things here don't belong!_**

Jack:**_ Oh no!  
The streets are lined with  
Little creatures crying  
All the others must be hiding  
Christmas spirit is subsiding!  
Oh no!  
Oh no!_**

Ed:**_ The joyous decorations here  
_**Jack:**_ Are melting from the fire!  
_**Ed:**_ No doubt the work of Oogie Boogie!  
_**Jack:**_ Drat that no good liar!_**

Edd:**_ There's fear in every window!  
Oh, I can't believe my eyes!  
_**Jack:**_ And in my bones I feel the urge  
To cut him down to size!_**

Edd:**_ And there! Oh no!  
_**Eddy:**_ His monsters have control!  
_**Ed:**_ Look out!  
_**Jack:**_ It chills me to my soul!  
No more!  
_**Edd:**_ They're gathering the presents to ignite them!  
Don't they know who they are for?  
Oh no!_**

Jack:**_ Oh no!  
He's here! It's all part of his plan!  
The nerve!  
He's really gone too far!  
This time!_**

Ed:**_ It's up to us to put a stop to this  
_**Eddy:**_ Now is our chance I cannot miss!  
_**Edd:**_ This town's counting on us!  
_**Jack:**_ So we must take charge and let them know!  
The time is now  
For them to go!  
Oh where to start in such a mess!  
Oh no!_**

Jack:**_ Oh no, what now?  
The peaceful town is ruined!  
And look, the Christmas tree is bare!  
Attacked! By someone, welcomed fiends!  
I tell you I will snare them  
And make sure they pay for their  
Outlandish rude behavior . . .  
Oh no!_**

**_The cheerfulness is missing  
And the wonder isn't here!  
And in their place there seems to be  
A paralyzing fear!_**

**_Instead of songs, I swear  
I just hear screaming in the air!  
The stench of Oogie Boogie  
Is absolutely everywhere . . ._**

Edd:**_ The ghosts, the ghouls!  
_**Ed:**_ They're everywhere and all around!  
_**Eddy:**_ I've never felt so sad before!  
_**Jack:**_ This happy place in front of us is being trashed  
So greedily, so greedily!_**

**_It's tragic! Oh, it's tragic!  
I can't stand and watch it burn!  
We've got to save this Christmas Town!  
And seize these monsters all about!_**

Jack, Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ This must stop!_**

As the team sang "stop," Jack and Ed thrust all of their weight into the train. It toppled over onto its side. At the same time, Eddy and Double D gently lowered Santa to the ground.

Ed and Jack walked over to Double D and Eddy for high-fives. "We did it!" Eddy cheered.

"Whew! That was close!" said Santa, sighing with relief. But his mood changed as soon as he noticed Jack. "_What_? _You _again?"

All four boys shuddered. Santa had not forgotten about last year.

"Sandy, it's not . . . " Jack tried, but then he sighed in defeat. How was he going to explain what had been happening? "Well, you see . . . I . . . I'm truly . . . "

Seeing that Jack was struggling, Double D ran interference. "Santa . . . " Double D began. "Jack has been out risking his life to save you and the other Holiday Leaders."

"Yeah, Santa!" said Eddy. "If it wasn't for Jack, we wouldn't be here right now, and you probably wouldn't either!"

"Jack's the man!" said Ed.

Santa's face softened a little at this.

"Boys . . . " said Jack.

"ARRGH!" a disgusted voice interrupted. "Can't anyone _perish _around here?"

The team turned back to Oogie.

"Oogie!" Jack called. "Give back that sleigh!"

"CHRISTMAS HATER!" shouted Ed.

"Without that sleigh, I can't deliver any presents!" said Santa. "An entire year's worth of preparations will be lost!"

"But good children all around the world are waiting for Santa!" said the green elf.

"Aw man. . ." said Eddy.

Suddenly, a new jingling sound filled the air. Everyone looked up.

"Hello again, Miss Sally!" said Ed.

"Sally?" asked Double D.

All Eddy could do was laugh. Sally was riding in the same sleigh he and Jack had flown last Christmas! "Where'd you find that old thing?" Eddy asked between laughs.

"Sally!" Jack called to her.

"Jack!" Sally called back. "We have our own sleigh!"

"Yes!" said Eddy. "Now we can go after Oogie!"

"And I can become a real elf!" said Ed.

"No."

All three Stouthearted Eds looked at Jack wide-eyed.

"_No_?" Eddy repeated.

"But . . . but Jack!" said Double D. "Why?"

"I won't allow it," said Jack. "It's too dangerous."

"Dangerous?" asked Ed.

"That's the sorriest excuse I ever heard!" said Eddy. "If this is "dangerous," what do you call everything else we've gone through?"

"I'm well aware of what else has happened," said Jack. "That's why you can't go."

"What, just because we get into jams once or twice, we can't go?" asked Double D. "I know you mean well, Jack, but . . . "

"I'm sorry, but my mind's made up!" said Jack. "Just stay here and promise me you won't get into any more trouble!"

The Stouthearted Eds were shocked at how firm Jack was being. Especially Eddy. How could Jack _do _this, after everything the team had been through?

"Eddy, aren't you going to say anything?" asked Double D.

But all Eddy did was slump in defeat. He slowly put his hands behind his back. "Okay, you win, Jack," he said. "We'll stay here."

Eddy's hands, however, told another story. His fingers were crossed behind his back. Ed and Double D immediately caught on.

"Yes, you win, Jack," said Double D, also putting his hands behind his back. "We'll cooperate."

"Ed shall remain here!" said Ed, also following suite.

"Good," said Jack, satisfied. "I'm glad you boys understand." He then turned to talk to Sally and Santa.

But while they weren't looking, Eddy led Ed and Double D to the Halloween sleigh, and then all three boys snuck into the same trunk Eddy had hidden in last year.

"Oh, I feel so dirty!" Double D whispered as they got comfortable.

"Those three brats are rubbing off on us," said Ed.

"Well, what was I supposed to do?" asked Eddy. "Just be lucky that went off without a hitch. If I've learned anything from being with Jack, it's that the guy's a total sap!"

"I sure hope you know what you're doing, Eddy," said Double D.

"Come on!" said Eddy. "Give me a little credit! Have I ever steered you wrong before?"

"Yes," said Double D.

Suddenly, the sleigh gave a lurch. It was taking off!

"Perfect!" Eddy whispered.

"Where are we going?" asked Ed.

"Probably to the final showdown with Oogie," said Double D.

"Right," said Eddy. "You guys ready for this?"

"Stouthearted Eds till the end!" said Ed. He held his hand out in the middle of the three boys.

"That's the spirit, Lumpy!" said Eddy, adding his hand.

Double D sighed. "I am surrounded by ignorance . . . " he said, but he placed his hand on top of Eddy's and Ed's.

"It's time we settled this," said Eddy. "Once and for all."


	21. Taking out the Trash

Eddy groaned. He was now lying face-first on the ground in some barren area away from Halloween Town and Christmas Town.

"Whose idea was it to jump off the sleigh while it was still in the air again?" Eddy asked as he slowly got up.

Ed and Double D lay on the ground next to him. Like Eddy, Double D was clutching his head while Ed was giggling like crazy, lying on his back.

"If I recall correctly . . . " said Double D, "Ed's."

"Am I smart or what?" asked Ed.

"NO!" Eddy and Double D said together.

"Well, it seems we've reached our destination, nevertheless," said Double D.

"Which is . . . ?" asked Eddy.

The three Stouthearted Eds stood up and looked around. It certainly wasn't Christmas Town, but it didn't feel like Halloween Town either. There was one thing abundant in the area: trash. All around the three boys was piles and piles of garbage, not just from Halloween or Christmas, but from the other holidays as well.

"It's the Holiday Junk Yard!" said Ed.

"That's actually a good explanation," said Double D.

"You think Oogie's somewhere around here?" asked Eddy.

"Well, we don't even have an attack plan, Eddy," said Double D. "Remember, Jack doesn't know we're here."

"Oh . . . yeah," said Eddy. "So what do we do?"

"Trash Oogie in the trash heaps!" said Ed.

"Yes, I suppose that's the general plan," said Double D.

"Yeah, but we need to be quick and tough about it," said Eddy. "So here's what we'll do . . . " But Eddy stopped short when he saw the sudden looks of terror on both his friends' faces. "What?"

"Eddy?" Double D squeaked, pointing behind Eddy. "Look."

Eddy turned around . . . and saw just why his friends were so scared. About ten feet away, behind a huge pile of Holiday garbage, a huge mass of the junk was rising out of the ground. And for some reason, it looked vaguely familiar . . .

Then the Stouthearted Eds realized just _why _the living pile of trash seemed so familiar. It wasn't just a pile of moving trash; it was Oogie! Somehow, Oogie was attracting the garbage to his body, making him grow bigger and bigger and BIGGER!

"JAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK!" the now monstrous Oogie suddenly bellowed. He was not pleased.

Eddy and Double D clamped their hands over their ears, and Ed was almost knocked over by the sudden force.

"OOGIE MUTATED!" Ed yelled after the bellowing had died down.

"I believe you're right, Ed," said Double D, staring in disbelief.

"Now do you see why we had to come along?" asked Eddy. "We gotta hurry and take this creep out before he does any more damage!"

"Eddy, can I ask you something?" asked Double D.

"Uh . . . sure," said Eddy.

"Why are you so insistent that we help Jack?" asked Double D. "He _was _doing what was probably best for us . . . "

"Because we owe Jack!" said Eddy.

Double D stared at his friend, unsure how to respond. "We . . . _owe _Jack, Eddy?"

"Yes!" said Eddy. "Jack has saved all three of us on multiple occasions! Now we're gonna return the favor."

"I guess you're right . . . " said Double D, reflecting on their past experiences. "He did help save me when Dr. Finkelstein went psycho . . . "

"And he saved me when I fell asleep!" said Ed.

"And he saved me when I konked my head," said Eddy. "And let's not forget last year!"

Double D's eyes widened in remembrance. "Oh, yes . . . " said Double D. "I'd almost forgotten. He saved Ed and me from falling into that lava . . . "

"And it wasn't just that!" said Eddy. "Remember how I snuck into Jack's sleigh last year, looking for my present?" Ed and Double D nodded. "Well, Jack knew I was there the whole time, and I ended up sitting next to him in the sleigh. And you know what we found out?" Eddy then took out the magic map to Halloween Town and showed it to his friends. "It turns out that one of Jack's old friends is the original owner of this map!"

It took Double D a few seconds to realize what Eddy meant. He gasped. "Your . . . _brother_, Eddy?" he asked quietly.

By this point, Eddy looked like he was about to burst into tears. He slowly put the map back in his pocket.

"Oh, Eddy . . . " said Double D. "I had no idea . . . "

"Come here, brave soldier," said Ed, walking over and giving Eddy a hug.

"And that's not all," Eddy managed to wheeze out. "When the military shot us down . . . Jack . . . he . . . he _threw _himself on top of me so I wouldn't get hurt. I could've died that night, guys. Jack saved my life . . . "

"Oh, Eddy . . . " said Double D, joining in on the hug. "If that's the case, you had every right to come here and help out."

"Do not worry, Eddy!" said Ed. "We shall stand together till the end, for we are the Stouthearted Eds!"

Eddy looked at his friends. "Really?" asked Eddy.

"Of course, Eddy!" said Double D. "It's like you said, we're nothing without each other!"

Eddy grinned. He was now confident that they could do it together. "Well then, what are we waiting for?" he asked. "Let's get that creep!"

Now with a new burst of confidence, all three boys began marching toward Oogie, ready for the final showdown. However . . .

"Ho ho ho."

All three Eds froze dead in their tracks. They slowly turned around.

As they turned, a certain skeleton came out from his hiding place. "It's your last Christmas," he said, walking toward the boys.

"Uh . . . hi, Jackie-boy," Eddy stammered. "What's shakin'?"

"I surrender!" cried Ed.

Jack didn't say anything. He just stood in front of the boys, glaring at them. Then, suddenly, his face softened. He started walking toward Oogie. "Come on," he said. "We have a Seven Holidays King to dethrone."

All three Eds' faces lit up.

"Thank you, Jack!" said Double D.

"How much did you hear?" asked Eddy.

"All of it," said Jack. "You don't need to repeat yourselves."

"Geez, we can't keep anything from you, can we, big guy?" asked Eddy.

"Nope," said Jack. "Now let's go show Oogie who the _real _king around here is."

"YEAH!" said all three Stouthearted Eds.

---

This time, the four boys ran without hesitation to the place where they had seen Oogie. However, when they reached the area, there was nothing there.

"What the?" asked Eddy.

"You think Oogie swallowed himself?" asked Double D.

"That's not a bad assumption . . . " said Jack. "But I don't think so."

"OH, JACK . . . "

The team froze, then turned around. There, now looking more like a skyscraper made of trash, was Oogie.

"I'M JUST GETTING STARTED!"

"What now?" asked Eddy.

"We fight," said Jack, taking out his Soul Robber. "Just like what we've been doing."

"Works for me," said Eddy, readying the Yo-Yo Mace.

Double D took out his Death Rattle, while Ed got ready to do some ramming with his Bony Helmet.

The colossal Oogie smirked at the four boys standing below him. "IT'S PAYBACK TIME!" he drawled.

"Is that all you've got to say?" Jack asked angrily.

Apparently, it wasn't.  
**_  
_**Oogie:**_ Well, well, well!  
What pests, you are!  
Still around, huh?  
Oh, can't say I like that!  
So why don't you just give up?  
You know, surrender! _**

Jack:**_ It's over!  
_**Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ It's over!  
_**Jack:**_ Your scheme was bound to fail!  
It's over!  
_**Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ You're finished here!  
_**Jack:**_ Your next stop will be jail!_**

Oogie:**_ They mock me! They fight me!  
I don't know which is worse!  
I might just split a seam now  
If I don't die laughin' first!  
Ha, ha, ha!_**

Jack:**_ What's this? A trick?_** Ed:**_ We're not impressed!  
_**Eddy:**_ You're bad, and now you're tall!  
_**Edd:**_ It makes it all the more worthwhile  
To see a giant fall!_**

Oogie:**_ Talk, talk, talk! But I tell you  
This giant's goin' nowhere!  
If I were you, I'd take a hike!  
There's danger in the air!_**

**_Whoa-oh!_**

Jack:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie:_** Whoa-oh!** _

Jack, Ed Edd n Eddy: **_Whoa-oh!  
I'm (he's) the only Pumpkin King!_**

---

"Halloween Town is mine!" said Jack.

"You tell him, Jack!" said Eddy.

"Well, aren't we confident?" asked Oogie.

---

Jack, Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ Well, we're feeling angry  
And there's plenty left to do!  
We've fought your most unwelcome help  
And now we're after you! _**

Oogie:**_ Even if you catch me  
You could never do me in!  
I'm ten stories high, and just as strong!  
Which means I'm gonna win! _**

Jack:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie:**_ Whoa-oh oh!_**

Jack, Oogie: **_Whoa-oh!_**

Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ Whoa-oh! _**

Jack, Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ I'm (he's) the only Pumpkin King!_ **

---

"This ends here!" said Jack.

"I'm laughin' to death!" said Oogie.

"Seems appropriate," said Double D.

---

Jack: **_It's over!_** Ed:**_ You're finished!  
_**Edd:**_ You'll never get away!  
_**Eddy:**_ You, the Seven Holidays King?  
Yeah, that'll be the day!_**

Oogie:**_ How feeble! How childish!  
Is that the best you've got?  
You think that you're heroes, boys!  
But I think you are not!_**

---

"I'm the Seven Holidays King!" proclaimed Oogie.

"You're king of _nothing_!" Jack shot back.

"DEATH TO OOGIE BOOGIE!" yelled Ed.

---

Oogie:**_ Whoooah! _**

**_Now it's time for you to see  
What it really means to scare!  
'Cause I'm a gamblin' Boogie Man  
Although I don't play fair!_**

**_It's much more fun, I must confess  
With lives on the line!  
Not mine, of course, but yours, old friends!  
Now that'd be just fine!_**

**_Whoa-oh!_**

Jack:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Oogie:**_ Whoa-oh!_**

Jack, Ed Edd n Eddy:**_ Whoa-oh!  
I'm (he's) the only Pumpkin King!_**

BOOOOOOOOOOM!

The final direct hit on Oogie echoed throughout the empty wasteland of trash. Jack, Ed, Double D, and Eddy backed off, panting. Had they done enough?

A few seconds later, Oogie's whole body began shaking. It was as if he was falling apart from the inside and making its way to the outside. Oogie opened his mouth to speak, but something else came out: millions and millions of bugs.

"Oh my . . . " Double D mumbled.

Oogie groaned loudly. "NOT AGAIN!" he bellowed as a waterfall of bugs poured out of his mouth. And as they did, his body seemed to deflate, as if he was a giant Thanksgiving balloon. "MY PRECIOUS BUGS!" Oogie yelled, and as he repeated this statement, he started to sound like a dying stereo as his body went flatter and flatter. "MY PRECIOUS BUGS . . . MY . . . precious . . . buuuuugs . . . "

When Oogie's voice finally faded into nothing, all that was left was a deflated Oogie body crawling with insects. All the four boys could do was stare at the sight.

"I don't care how many times I see that," said Eddy. "That's still disgusting."

"Yeah," Ed and Double D said together.

Then, all four boys freely fell to the floor, onto their backs. They were clearly exhausted. But they couldn't help but start laughing.

"Well, we did it again, boys," said Eddy.

"I'm quite proud of ourselves," said Double D.

"I'm stuffed," said Ed.

"Boys?" asked Jack.

"Yeah?" all three Stouthearted Eds asked together.

Jack's next statement was so quiet, the Eds almost didn't catch it.

"Thank you."


	22. As Christmas Dawns

A few minutes later, all four boys found the energy to stand. They were walking back to Halloween Town when who should they find waiting for them but good old Santa Claus, having regained his red and white sleigh.

"Whew!" said the jolly old elf as Ed proceeded to pet the reindeer. "For a moment there, I thought I was too late. But I managed to deliver the presents in time!"

"Awesome!" said Eddy.

Jack, however, didn't seem happy from the good news. He stepped forward. "I'm so. . ." he began. Then he sighed. "Forgive me . . . for causing you trouble again."

Eddy and Double D groaned. How the heck could Jack still be feeling guilty?

"No, Jack," said Santa. "This time I owe you my gratitude. Thank you for saving my life!"

Jack's face lit up when he heard this. He gave a big grin as he and the Eds waved at the departing Santa.

"You see, Jack?" Eddy asked. "Everything worked out in the end. You gotta start thinking more positive, Pumpkin King!"

At this, Jack started laughing.

---

Surprisingly, it didn't take the team long to return to Halloween Town. As Spiral Hill came into view, the boys saw that a certain rag doll was still waiting for them.

Jack was the first to meet Sally at the top of the hill. The Eds stayed back and observed as the two drew closer to each other.

"I was so scared, Jack," said Sally.

Jack was still smiling. "You know, it's strange," he said, taking Sally's hands and glancing back at the Stouthearted Eds. "Whenever I set out to find something new, my eyes are opened to a larger world."

Sally's face fell. "You're not leaving again . . . are you?" she asked. This made the Stouthearted Eds frown, too.

"No," said Jack. The Stouthearted Eds and Sally's faces lit up again. "Something tells me that the most wonderful discoveries . . . are a little closer to home."

And with that, the Pumpkin King embraced the woman he loved at the top of Spiral Hill, just like what happened on Christmas the year before.

Eddy smiled at the scene and shook his head. Two crazy Christmases in a row. Amazing. He gave a gesture to the other two Eds, as if he was saying, "Come on, boys. Let's get out of here." Double D and Ed caught on. But as the three boys were heading the direction of home . . .

"You're leaving already?"

The Stouthearted Eds looked back at Jack. He looked sad again.

"That's kind of sad, you know?" the Pumpkin King asked. "You three should at least stay for Christmas . . . "

Eddy gave a sad little laugh. "Well, Jack, it's tempting," he said. "But I'm afraid we have to head back. We have our own Christmases to attend to, you know."

"Oh . . . " said Jack. "Of course . . . " The truth was this: He didn't want the Eds to leave yet. He owed so much to them. They had helped him save Christmas not once, but twice. "See you next Halloween, then?"

"What do you think, dude?" asked Eddy. "Like I said, you're _stuck _with us."

However, deep down, Eddy didn't want to leave yet either. He wanted to spend some more time with Jack. He wanted to feel the same way he did when he and Jack were flying high above the sky in that coffin sleigh. But now wasn't the time. There was other business to attend to. He, Double D, and Ed gave one last wave as they disappeared into the Hinterlands, toward the door that led back to Peach Creek.

Jack frowned as he waved. He knew that he had already thanked the boys, but something still felt . . . incomplete. He knew he had to do more, but what? He slowly turned to his rag doll friend.

"Sally . . . " he tried to begin, but he was interrupted by Sally's soft smile.

"You need to talk to them," Sally said quietly. "It's okay, Jack. I understand. We all do." She turned to walk back to Halloween Town. "We can all tell how much you love those boys," she said over her shoulder. "You'd better hurry, or you'll miss them."

"Oh . . . right," said Jack.

Sally watched as Jack ran into the Hinterlands after the Stouthearted Eds. Sally smiled. No matter how many times he went away, Jack Skellington would always remain the same: the Pumpkin King that everyone loved and adored.

---

By this time, the Stouthearted Eds had reached the Peach Creek Door. Ed and Double D had already jumped in. Eddy sighed. He took one last look behind him. He was about to reopen the door when . . .

"Eddy!"

Eddy quickly turned around, only to find Jack standing there, lightly panting. Eddy was confused. What was Jack doing here?

"Uh . . . hey," said Eddy. "What's up?"

Jack stared at Eddy. How was he going to explain this to him? "Eddy . . . " he tried to start. "Well, I . . . I was wondering if . . . "

"What's bugging you, Pumpkin King?" asked Eddy.

Jack looked at Eddy, then shook his head. Why was this so hard to ask? He took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "Eddy . . . " he tried again. "You're . . . you're going to think I'm crazy for asking this, but . . . "

Eddy looked expectantly at Jack. For asking him what?

"Eddy . . . you're not going to . . . _go away_ any time soon, are you?"

Eddy was taken aback by this question. "Go away?" he asked Jack. "What do you mean, 'go' . . . " Then it hit him. Jack was thinking that . . . "Aw, Jack," Eddy said, almost laughing. "Is that what's been bothering you?"

"Well, sort of," said Jack. "I just wanted to make sure you wouldn't be leaving me behind, like . . . "

"Leaving you _behind_?" asked Eddy. "Dude, I couldn't leave you behind even if I _wanted _to! And if you think _he's _left you behind, you're mistaken."

Jack's face lit up a little when he heard this.

"Right after I got home from the little fiasco last year, I wrote my brother a letter, telling him that I finally met you," Eddy explained. "What I got back was a six-page letter of how you two first met, and how you two defeated Oogie Boogie the first time he tried to take over Halloween Town. He also told me how much he missed you, and how badly he wanted to see Halloween Town again. Believe me. He hasn't forgotten about you one bit."

Jack slightly smiled. "But . . . what about you?" he asked. "I certainly don't want to lose you . . . "

Now Eddy _did _laugh. "Dude, the way I do in school, the chances of me going away the same way my brother had to are a billion to one. And, if by some crazy miracle, I _do _end up leaving for the same reason my brother did, you'll definitely be the first to know."

"Really?" asked Jack.

"Really," said Eddy. "And I'll give the map to another kid. One who will have just as much fun with you as my brother and I have."

"Oh, Eddy . . . " said Jack. He looked down at his feet. "Eddy, if you want to know the truth, back when you disappeared in Oogie's lair, I was scared to death. I was so scared that I'd lose you. I know that I'll probably never see your brother again, but . . . I don't know what I would have done if . . . if . . . "

"Don't even talk about something like that," said Eddy. "I'm still here, aren't I? Quit dwelling on stuff that could have happened, and be thankful that I'm still here!"

Just then, on impulse, Jack dropped to his knees, pulled Eddy close to him, and wrapped his long bony arms around the boy. "Eddy . . . " he moaned, trying hard not to cry.

"Not so hard, you sissy," said Eddy, his voice also breaking. "You squeeze my tears out." Surprisingly, he found himself not squirming, as he had done the last time Jack had hugged him. This time, he found himself returning the hug.

"I'm sorry," Jack whispered. "I'm not supposed to be hugging you, am I?"

"Ah, it's Christmas," said Eddy. "I'll let it slide."

"Thank you, Eddy," said Jack. "Thank you for everything."

"Don't mention it," said Eddy. He paused. "I should probably be heading back."

Jack slowly let go of Eddy. He was smiling again.

"You feeling better?" Eddy asked, drying his face.

"Yes," said Jack. "I'd better watch it. I don't think the others back in Halloween Town would find it appealing if they found out how much of a sissy their Pumpkin King is."

Eddy chuckled. Then he headed back over to the Peach Creek Door. He slowly turned the knob, opened the door, and climbed up onto the edge, getting ready to jump in. He gave one last look behind him.

"Merry Christmas, Jack."

"Merry Christmas, Eddy."

---

Double D and Ed jumped as Eddy finally emerged from the Halloween Door in the woods outside Peach Creek.

"Finally!" said Double D. "What on earth took you so long, Eddy?"

"Oh, Jack just came to thank me one more time," said Eddy standing up. He looked at his two friends. "Well, why are we just standing here?" he asked. "If we head back now, at least we have a few hours left before the sun comes up, right?"

Double D smiled. "I suppose," he said. "Merry Christmas, gentlemen."

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" said Ed.

A few minutes later, the cul-de-sac in the middle of Peach Creek that was once silent was now being filled with the sound of three boys marching and singing a tune as they went back to their separate houses. And the song definitely radiated a sense of joy.

Ed Edd n Eddy: **_We are the Eds  
_**_**Yes, the Stouthearted Eds  
**__**And we fight for the candy we adore**_

_**Start you with ten  
**__**Of our stouthearted scams  
**__**It's okay, we have ten thousand more, oh!**_

_**Shoulder to shoulder  
**__**And bolder and bolder  
**__**We grow, as we go through the fore**_

_**Then, everything in the world  
**__**Just halts and fails our plan**_

_**But, Stouthearted Eds  
**__**Must stick together Ed. . .to . . . Ed!

* * *

**_

**Author's Note**: And there you have it, folks. The end of the second part of the "Ed Edd n Eddy/Nightmare Before Christmas" trilogy. Stay tuned for the third and final story in this amazing crossover! Until then, peace out, and happy reading! ;)-**AMX**


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